m. We will go home
to-morrow morning, look them out, and return with them at once.
Remember that we must keep our discovery a secret. We shall I hope give
a pleasant surprise to your father."

The plan proposed by Uncle Denis was adopted. Laden with the traps and
such stores as we required for a week's residence in the wilderness, we
started, accompanied by Mr Tidey. On reaching the spot we built a
substantial hut, in which we could store our provisions, and by closing
the entrance, we expected to be able to preserve our beaver skins from
the attacks of wolverines during our absence from camp. We lost no time
in setting the traps under the water in the runs made by the beavers
when passing backwards and forwards to the woods from whence they
obtained the bark on which they fed. We observed that they had cut down
numbers of young trees, for a considerable distance along the banks of
the stream above their town. This, Uncle Denis surmised they had done
that they might, after they had divided them into proper lengths, allow
them to float down to the spot where they were required. By hiding
ourselves during a moonlight night we had an opportunity of seeing them
engaged in their labours. It was truly wonderful to observe the rapid
way in which the industrious creatures nibbled through a tree and
reduced it to the dimensions they required.

On examining our traps for the first time, we found each had caught a
beaver, some by the legs, others by their noses. The latter were
drowned, as even a beaver cannot remain beyond a certain time under
water, but I must own I felt compunction when I witnessed the struggles
of the other poor creatures to free themselves, though they were put out
of their pain as soon as possible by a blow on the head. Resetting the
traps, we returned to camp to take off the skins and dress them. We
dined on the meat, which we agreed resembled flabby pork. Mr Tidey,
however, undertook to provide better fare the next day. I accompanied
him while the rest of the party went back to look after the traps. We
had killed a deer, and had loaded ourselves with as much venison as we
could carry, intending to return for the remainder, when Mr Tidey fired
at a turkey, for the sake of having a variety for our dinner. At that
instant a huge grizzly she-bear rose up from behind a thicket, and
before he could reload, charged right at him. I was too far off to fire
with any certainty of hitting the animal.