THE TAKING OF THE BEAVER 115 



the end of a sloping incline away from the land side, 

 with a shelf running round above, which serves as the 

 living-room. Differences in the houses, breaks below 

 water, two doors instead of one, platforms like an oven 

 instead of a shelf, are probably explained by the con 

 tinual abrasion of the current. By the time the ice 

 forms the beavers have retired to their houses for the 

 winter, only coming out to feed on their winter stores 

 and get an airing. 



But this terrible thing has happened ; and the young 

 beavers huddle together under the ice of the canal, 

 bleating with the cry of a child. They are afraid to 

 run back; for the crunch of feet can be heard. They 

 are afraid to go forward; for the dog is whining with 

 a glee that is fiendish to the little beavers. Then a 

 gust of cold air comes from the rear and a pole prods 

 forward. 



The man has opened a hole to feel where the hiding 

 beavers are, and with little terrified yelps they scuttle 

 to the very end of the runway. By this time the dog 

 is emitting howls of triumph. For hours he has been 

 boxing up his wolfish ferocity, and now he gives vent 

 by scratching with a zeal that would burrow to the 

 middle of earth. 



The trapper drives in more stakes close to the blind 

 end of the channel, and cuts a hole above the prison 

 of the beaver. He puts down his arm. One by one 

 they are dragged out by the tail ; and that finishes the 

 little beaver sacrificed, like the guinea-pigs and rab 

 bits of bacteriological laboratories, to the necessities 

 of man. Only, this death is swifter and less painful. 

 A prolonged death-struggle with the beaver would 

 probably rob the trapper of half his fingers. Very 



