116 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



ditch at a higher level. Two more such dams 

 were found necessary, each raising the water to the 

 proper level. On reaching the foot of the knoll on 

 which the aspens grew, the canal was divided into 

 two wings, but in these there was a lack of water 

 which made them almost useless except during wet 

 weather. The father beaver remembered having 

 seen a tiny stream which flowed not far from the 

 end of the longer wing, and, taking advantage 

 of this, he cut a narrow ditch only a few inches 

 wide and diverted some of the water from the 

 streamlet to the canal, so that it had sufficient for 

 its purpose. It was a clever piece of work and 

 showed well how highly developed is the engineer- 

 ing skill of the beaver. 



The weeks passed with alarming rapidity while 

 this great task was being accomplished, and though 

 the animals worked literally tooth and nail, they 

 had to bestir themselves in order that everything 

 might be in order before winter set in. A con- 

 siderable amount of work was necessary on the 

 dams, not only in repairing the original structures, 

 but in extending them once more so that the size 

 of the pond could be slightly increased. Then 

 also the lodge needed material enlargement in 

 order that the eight beavers might be able to live 

 comfortably. It was altogether an extremely busy 

 autumn and all hands worked with a will, appa- 

 rently without any supervision, each doing what he 

 or she considered most necessary. By the time 



