THE LIFE OF A BEAVER COLONY 93 



feet at the highest point. This necessitated a still 

 further increase in length, with corresponding 

 increase in the size and depth of the pond. For- 

 tunately their lodge had not been seriously injured 

 by the unexpected rise of water. The floor, it is 

 true, had been submerged, which was quite natural, 

 as it had been only four inches above the normal 

 water level. One thing leads to another, and the 

 additional work on the dam meant that the floor of 

 the lodge must also be raised, so they cut away part 

 of the ceiling and used the material thus obtained 

 for the flooring. This in turn meant putting still 

 more material on the outside of the house, as the 

 thickness of the walls needed to be not less than 

 three feet and the roofing a foot and a half, without 

 the final coating of mud. 



September with its cool clear days was in its last 

 quarter by the time the young couple had every- 

 thing in order. The white frosts at night warned 

 them of the approaching cold season for which full 

 preparation must be made if they expected to live 

 in comfort. Most important of all the tasks was 

 the food supply. So they made a tour of investiga- 

 tion among the trees to see that they were in proper 

 condition for being stored. Several small birches 

 were examined and partly cut in order that they 

 should dry thoroughly before being felled. They 

 dry better and more rapidly while standing, so 

 after the beaver had girdled them they went off 

 to a small aspen grove and commenced serious 



