direction of the dam, traveling two
hundred yards back from the creek. Twenty yards below the dam a dense
thicket of alder and willow grew close to the creek and Kazan took
advantage of this. He approached within a leap or two of the dam without
being seen and crouched close to the ground, ready to spring forth when
the opportunity came. Most of the beavers were now working in the water.
The four or five still on shore were close to the water and some
distance up-stream. After a wait of several minutes Kazan was almost on
the point of staking everything on a wild rush upon his enemies when a
movement on the dam attracted his attention. Half-way out two or three
beavers were at work strengthening the central structure with cement.
Swift as a flash Kazan darted from his cover to the shelter behind the
dam. Here the water was very shallow, the main portion of the stream
finding a passage close to the opposite shore. Nowhere did it reach to
his belly as he waded out. He was completely hidden from the beavers,
and the wind was in his favor. The noise of running water drowned what
little sound he made. Soon he heard the beaver workmen over him. The
branches of the fallen birch gave him a footing, and he clambered up.

A moment later his head and shoulders appeared above the top of the
dam. Scarce an arm's length away Broken Tooth was forcing into place a
three-foot length of poplar as big around as a man's arm. He was so busy
that he did not hear or see Kazan. Another beaver gave the warning as he
plunged into the pond. Broken Tooth looked up, and his eyes met Kazan's
bared fangs. There was no time to turn. He threw himself back, but it
was a moment too late. Kazan was upon him. His long fangs sank deep into
Broken Tooth's neck. But the old beaver had thrown himself enough back
to make Kazan lose his footing. At the same moment his chisel-like teeth
got a firm hold of the loose skin at Kazan's throat. Thus clinched, with
Kazan's long teeth buried almost to the beaver's jugular, they plunged
down into the deep water of the pond.

Broken Tooth weighed sixty pounds. The instant he struck the water he
was in his element, and holding tenaciously to the grip he had obtained
on Kazan's neck he sank like a chunk of iron. Kazan was pulled
completely under. The water rushed into his mouth, his ears, eyes and
nose. He was blinded, and his senses were a roaring tumult. But instead
of struggling to free himself he held his breath and buri