ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



Strength to gain lessons, to learn disappoint- 

 ment, to encounter difficulties, and success and 

 pleasures to enjoy were yet to be theirs. Life 

 even to a little beaver would not be complete 

 without them all and one could not truly be 

 appreciated without the other. It was now 

 made plain why the head of the family had 

 been seen roaming about alone. His mate had 

 preferred attending to her motherly family duties 

 without the aid or interference of her compan- 

 ion. So he made the most of the situation and 

 enjoyed himself as best he might in true beaver 

 fashion. 



The beavers, through not being molested, 

 lost much of their shyness and could often be 

 seen floating and playing about on the water or 

 diving gracefully, without the usual signal of 

 danger ; they were often in for a race or might 

 be seen to bite and play with one another. The 

 young beavers looked very cunning when seen 

 sitting upon a stump or log with their tails 

 swung around by their sides in cat fashion but 

 with the lower surface uppermost and the root 

 of a water-lily or a piece of bark held in their 

 hands and the head bent slightly to meet the 

 C'76] 



