work. As soon as the first beaver reached the huts, the old fellow gave
a peculiar call that brought out a score or more of workers. They all
went to their tasks as if drilled by a master.

"My old Grandfather is not there this morning, or that other boss would
not be taking his place," whispered Polly.

Eleanor had been using her eyes to good advantage and now called to
Polly anxiously. "Look a'there, Polly! Those beavers are eating the
tree!"

"They're not eating it but are cutting it down. Now you watch and you
will see how they do it."

The tree in question, stood on the shore and was about six inches in
diameter and about sixteen feet in height. The boss of another group of
beavers tested the tree by placing his fore-paws against the trunk and
spreading out his hind legs as a bracer. He sat upon his tail and took a
deliberate bite from the bark. No wonder Eleanor thought he was eating
the tree!

After gnawing at one side, he thumped the ground with his extended tail
and ran away. Other beavers took his place and began cutting in much
the same manner. Then the boss beaver, who was superintending the work,
pushed the workers away and showed them how to work in a better way.
This done, the boss thumped the ground with his tail--just as a
policeman strikes the walk with his night-club--and the cutters went
back to work.

Suddenly the boss thumped the ground repeatedly and the cutters ran to a
safe distance. A moment later, the tree began swaying and crashed down
into the pond. It had been so cut and planned that labor and time would
be saved by throwing it directly into the stream.

It was towed down into the general harvest-pile and left for other
colonists to saw into required shape and length for the additions to
their huts.

Soon after this, a number of beavers came forth and swam to the extreme
upper end of the pond. Here they climbed up on the bank and disappeared
from sight in the aspen-covered forest.

"Where are they going?" asked Eleanor, anxiously.

"We'll soon find out!" declared Polly.

As Polly spoke, a beaver swam along the bank and scrambled out quite
near the spot where the two girls sat quietly watching. He sniffed and
then plunged back to hurry to the huts where he must have reported the
result of his trip. Immediately after, the boss commanded him to lead
the way, and both returned to the place for a thorough investigation.

The scout brought his boss up the bank and sniffed. Polly