THE BUILDING OF THE SHACK 77 



Jack chuckled. To have roused Carcajou s 

 anger was something to start the day with. 



&quot;Plenty of Water to you all, Comrades/ 

 greeted Beaver pleasantly, patting a smooth seat 

 for himself with his tail, as he joined the others. 



&quot; Where is the Man ? &quot; queried Black King. 



&quot;Sleeping! * answered Jack. &quot;He makes a 

 noise with his nose like fat Muskwa does when 

 he runs from Grizzly.&quot; 



&quot; That s a pretty lodge,&quot; remarked Beaver, 

 critically. &quot; When will they flood it ? &quot; 



&quot; Stupid ! they don t live in water,&quot; reproved 

 Jay. &quot; If it is wet they make a little hollow 

 path and run the water off.&quot; 



&quot; Is that a Dead-fall, Jack ? &quot; asked Muskwa, 

 pointing his gray nozzle at a small square build 

 ing that was three logs high. 



&quot; It s their Shack; they started it yesterday.&quot; 



&quot; A poor Lodge ! &quot; declared Umisk. &quot; The 

 first flood will undermine the corners, and down 

 it will come. Have they no trowel-tails to round 

 it up with good blue-clay ? &quot; 



&quot; Umisk, you should travel. Your ideas are 

 limited. Have they not built their Shack on 

 high ground where there will be no flood ? &quot; 



&quot; But they 11 freeze in the Winter,&quot; persisted 

 Beaver. &quot; The water would keep them warm if 

 they flooded it.&quot; 



