doubled. The beavers could no longer float 
their foodsticks down the canal, letting the 
water do most of the work. They must drag 
each stick across a muddy district nearly two 
hundred yards wide, before it could be launched 
at all. Sticks, which one beaver could handle 
with ease in the water, required all the strength 
of two workers, when transported by land. 
Twice as many guards were now needed, as 
were required when the workers had the shelter 
of the canal; but these could not be spared. 
The extra risk had to be taken. 
O-Go, Ela, and Thwacker did their full 
share in all this work, laboring long hours in 
the slashing or at the dam. Even the lazy Ilg 
seemed to realize the need for industry, and 
worked as he never had worked before. His 
strength was as great as was that of the others 
of his age, and though he did not keep at it 
as persistently as they did, he helped. 
In spite of the heroic efforts of the colony, 
the amount of food placed in storage that year 
was pitifully small. Had the winter that came 
upon them been as long protracted as the one 
preceding it, few of the beavers of Patou Pond 
would have lived through it. However, spring 
arrived a full three weeks ahead of schedule. 
It found them all poorly nourished and weak, 
but still alive and ready to face whatever might 
await them. 
143 
