“Yes, it’s best to be on the safe side,” returned Mr. Beaver. “Well, now we are here—my two boys and myself—and we are ready to help gnaw down trees for you. My wife will be here in a little while. She has gone to see if she can find some aspen bark for our dinner.”
“My wife has gone to look for some, too,” said Mr. Cuppy. “Well, now, let’s see! Have Toto and Sniffy ever cut down any trees?”
“No, this will be the first time for them,” said their father.
“Well, take them over to the little grove and show them how to work,” advised Mr. Cuppy. “We shall need many trees this spring. How are you, boys? Ready to gnaw with your red teeth?”
“Yes, sir,” answered Toto and Sniffy.
“Come along!” called their father, and into the water they jumped from the top of the dam, to swim to where the trees grew beside the river.
Beavers always swim, if they can, to wherever they want to go. They would much rather swim than walk, as they can swim so much better and faster. So, in a little while, Toto and Sniffy stood with their father beside a tree which, near where the tree trunk went into the ground, was as large around as your head.
“We will cut down this tree,” said Mr. Beaver.
“What! That big tree?” cried Toto. “We can never gnaw that down, Dad! It will take a year!”