more than twenty thousand beavers in 

 the Adirondack region. My guess is 

 that this estimate is much too low. 



One day last summer, Bige and I saw 

 the Chief Engineer dive and enter a 

 tunnel leading to his house. We silently 

 paddled up close to the house and lis- 

 tened. Presently we heard a murmur of 

 beaver conversation inside. "Gosh!" 

 said Bige, "the old Chief is giving in- 

 structions to the kid beavers. He's 

 telling 'em how to handle the job they 

 have to do tonight." 



70 



