ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



weave into the long stubs that extended down 

 from the trunk into the mud at the bottom of 

 the stream. Then the brush from the top of 

 the tree was pulled down against the water side 

 of the structure and covered with mud, carried 

 between the fore paws and chin, to fill in the 

 chinks and small stones to hold it down; the 

 dam now began to take on a substantial aspect. 

 Nearly all night for many a week nature's little 

 lumbermen felled the trees and floated them 

 down stream or carried branches in their mouths, 

 thrown across their shoulders and trailing be- 

 hind upon the water if the limb was of a bushy 

 nature and small enough to handle in this way. 

 This wonderful progress went on before Full 

 Moon's astonished eyes as he lay night after 

 night, motionless upon the branch of the great 

 cottonwood tree with his limbs stiffened and 

 benumbed with cold. Once Full Moon could 

 endure the cold no longer and moved to rest his 

 aching legs a little. In an instant one of the 

 animals, who saw him when he made the un- 

 fortunate move, threw the hind part of its body 

 out of the water as it descended headforemost 

 and brought its trowel-like tail down upon the 

 [168] 



