104 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 
the forest was broken by countless tons of moving 
ice which bounded along in the seething water, now 
piling up in great walls as some obstacle barred its 
path, then breaking loose and tearing all before it. 
The upper end of the beavers’ pond was a mass of 
broken ice brought down by the stream. For some 
time it could not break its way through the solid 
sheet which covered the pond. Gradually the 
unceasing flow of water forced a passage through 
the dam where the ice again piled up as though 
impatient of the delay. During these days, the 
beaver frequently came out for an airing, often going 
into the woods in search of some fresh food. It 
was a dangerous undertaking, for their enemies 
were thin, hungry, and keenly alert, and the slightest 
prospect of beaver meat gave stimulus to their 
cunning. Several times during those first visits to 
the woods did the beavers escape by an all too- 
narrow margin, reaching the water only just in time 
to miss the white fangs of their quick-footed 
enemies. 
By the end of March all trace of the winter’s 
snow had vanished except in the darkest glades 
where the sun did not penetrate. Gradually, the 
first signs of spring became visible. Small green 
shoots appeared among the dead leaves and mosses, 
the buds on the trees began to swell and give 
promise of foliage, and by the middle of April the 
woods were tinged with the tenderest green of the 
new leaves. This was the most important period | 
