“It’s all right now. Cuppy and Slump have cut down the big tree for the dam. It has fallen, and now it is safe for us to come out.”
The dog and the little beaver came out from under the overhanging rock, and Don noticed the pieces of bark Toto had stripped off.
“What are you going to do with them?” asked Don. “Make a basket?”
“A basket? I should say not!” exclaimed Toto. “I’m going to eat some and take the rest to my father and brother. They are farther back in the woods, cutting down a tree. Don’t you like bark?”
“Bark? I should say not!” laughed Don in a barking manner. “I like bones to gnaw, but not bark, though I bark with my mouth. That is a different kind, though. But I suppose it wouldn’t do for all of us to eat the same things. There wouldn’t be enough to go around. But tell me: Do you always hear a thumping sound whenever there is danger in the woods?”
“Yes, that’s one of the ways we beavers have of talking to one another,” answered Toto. “Whenever one of us is cutting a tree down, and he sees that it is about to fall, he thumps on the ground as hard as he can with his tail. You see our tails are broad and flat, and they make quite a thump.”
Don turned and looked at Toto’s tail.
“Yes, it’s quite different from mine,” said the dog. “I sometimes thump my tail on the floor, when my master gives me something good to eat or pats me on the head. But my tail doesn’t make much noise.”
“Well, a beaver’s tail does,” explained Toto. “So whenever any of us hear the thumping sound we know there is danger, and we run away or hide.”
“I’m glad to know this,” said Don. “When I’m in the woods, from now on, and hear that thumping sound, I’ll look around for danger, and I’ll hide if I can’t get out the way. Well, I’m glad to have met you,” went on Don. “I don’t suppose you have seen Blackie, have you?”