wisest beaver in all the colony. However, not 
even the closest observer has ever been able to 
tell which beaver was in charge of any par¬ 
ticular piece of work. Still, the work must 
have been assigned in some way, since the col¬ 
ony immediately divided into several groups, 
each with its own special task. 
One group remained at the site chosen for 
the new lodge; another went to work at clear¬ 
ing out underbrush to make a skidway, down 
which material might be brought to the wa¬ 
ter; a third group proceeded directly into the 
woods. It was the job of this last-named group 
to prepare the lumber that was to be used in 
the building. Mother and Father Beaver were 
members of this party of woodsmen, and 
O-Go, who hadn’t the least idea of the rea¬ 
son for so much activity, followed them to 
see what was about to happen. 
Their way into the forest led through the 
long canal. That was a pleasant place to swim, 
for the bushes grew high on both banks, al¬ 
most meeting in mid-air, as they leaned over 
the water. No matter how hot the day might 
be out on the open pond, that shaded canal 
was sure to be delightfully cool. There was 
company there, too, for the overhanging bushes 
had always flocks of little, insect-feeding birds; 
and an occasional cottontail rabbit looked out 
from beneath them to wiggle an inquiring 
63 
