twenty feet
high in some parts, besides being seven or eight feet thick; and all in
one season,--perhaps five or six mouths' work."

"But how many of them do you reckon, are at the work?" said Henry.

"Perhaps a hundred; not more, I should say."

"Well; but how do they raise these banks, Malachi?" said Emma.

"There, miss, they shew what sense they have. I've often watched them
when they have been sawing through the large trees with the front teeth;
they could not carry the tree, that's sartain, if the whole of them were
to set to work, so they always pick out the trees by the banks of the
stream, and they examine how the trees incline, to see if they will fall
into the stream; if not, they will not cut them down; and when they are
cutting them down, and they are nearly ready for falling, if the wind
should change and be against the fall, they will leave that tree till
the wind will assist them. As soon as the trees are down, they saw off
the branches and arms, and float the log down to where the dam is to be
made; they lay them across, and as they lay them one upon the other, of
course the water rises and enables them to float down and place the
upper ones. But before that, as soon as the lower logs are in their
places, the animals go and fetch long grass and clay, which they load
upon their flat tails, and drag to the dam, filling up the holes between
the timber till it is as strong as a wall, and the water is completely
stopped."

"Yes," said Martin; "I have heard them at night working away so hard,
and flapping and spattering with their tails, that I could imagine there
were fifty men at work instead of a hundred of those small animals, but
they work by day and by night, and never seem tired, till the dam is
sound and their work is complete."

"But the raising of the dam is only preparatory, is it not, to their
building their own houses?" observed Mrs Campbell.

"Nothing more, ma'am; and I think the rest of the work is quite as
wonderful."

"But it is time to go to bed," observed Mr Campbell, "and we must,
therefore, leave the remainder of Malachi's story till another evening."

"I am sure that there is not one of the party who is more anxious to
hear it than I am," replied Mrs Campbell, rising, "but as you say, it
is past ten o'clock, and Malachi and the Strawberry have to go home, so,
good night."

"Oh, dear! what a pity!" cried Percival, "I shall dream of beavers all
night, I'm sure I shall."