THE BEAVERS OF BEAVER CREEK 



a white man, chanced to pass that way and dis- 

 covered the beaver colony, unknown to Full 

 Moon, who claimed full possession of the 

 coveted animals by right of his father owning 

 the claim along the portion of the creek upon 

 which the beaver homes were built. The men 

 set their traps and passed on up the stream in- 

 tending to return the following day. Just be- 

 fore dawn Full Moon heard a pitiful, wailing 

 noise like the cry of a little human babe in dis- 

 tress. He arose and followed in the direction 

 whence the pleading wails came. When he 

 neared the creek the sight that greeted his eyes 

 stirred even the heart of the Indian boy. There 

 on the bank sat two little beavers crying for 

 their mother, who was caught in one of the 

 strange hunters' traps and while thus held help- 

 less had been torn to pieces by her enemy, the 

 wild cat. The tracks about the trap led to the 

 identification of the murderous thief. The vic- 

 tim proved to be the mate of the pioneer couple 

 who first laid the foundation of the now thriving 

 beaver town. Long had they lived together and 

 many were the struggles and hardships his faith- 

 ful companion had shared with him and many a 

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