The Adventures of Paddy the Beaver

by Thornton W. Burgess

  So the dam grew and grew, and so did the pond above the dam. Ofcourse, it took a good many days to build so big a dam, and a lotof hard work! Every morning the little people of the Green Forestand the Green Meadow would visit it, and every morning they wouldfind that it had grown a great deal in the night, for that iswhen Paddy likes best to work.

  By this time, the Laughing Brook had stopped laughing, and downin the Smiling Pool there was hardly water enough for the minnowsto feel safe a minute. Billy Mink had stopped making fun of thedam, and all the little people who live in the Laughing Brook andSmiling Pool were terribly worried.

  To be sure, Paddy had warned them of what he was going to do, andhad promised that as soon as his pond was big enough, the waterwould once more run in the Laughing Brook. They tried to believehim, but they couldn't help having just a wee bit of fear that hemight not be wholly honest. You see, they didn't know him, for hewas a stranger. Jerry Muskrat was the only one who seemedabsolutely sure that everything would be all right. Perhaps thatwas because Paddy is his cousin, and Jerry couldn't help feelingproud of such a big cousin and one who was so smart.

  So day by day the dam grew, and pond grew, and one morningGrandfather Frog, down in what had once been the Smiling Pool,heard a sound that made his heart jump for joy. It was a murmurthat kept growing and growing, until at last it was the merrylaugh of the Laughing Brook. Then he knew that Paddy had kept hisword, and water would once more fill the Smiling Pool.

  CHAPTER VI Farmer Brown's Boy Grows Curious.

  Now it happened that the very day before Paddy the Beaver decidedthat his pond was big enough, and so allowed the water to run inthe Laughing Brook once more, Farmer Brown's boy took it into hishead to go fishing in the Smiling Pool. Just as usual he wentwhistling down across the Green Meadows. Somehow, when he goesfishing, he always feels like whistling. Grandfather Frog heardhim coming and dived into the little bit of water remaining inthe Smiling Pool and stirred up the mud at the bottom so thatFarmer Brown's boy shouldn't see him.

  Nearer and nearer drew the whistle. Suddenly it stopped rightshort off. Farmer Brown's boy had come in sight of the SmilingPool or rather, it was what used to be the Smiling Pool. Nowthere wasn't any Smiling Pool, for the very little pool left wastoo small and sickly looking to smile. There were great banks ofmud, out of which grew the bulrushes. The lily pads wereforlornly stretched out toward the tiny pool of water remaining.Where the banks were steep and high, the holes that Jerry Muskratand Billy Mink knew so well were plain to see. Over at one sidestood Jerry Muskrat's house, wholly out of water.

  Somehow, it seemed to Farmer Brown's boy that he must bedreaming. He never, never had seen anything like this before, noteven in the very driest weather of the hottest part of thesummer. He looked this way and looked that way. The Green Meadowslooked just as usual. The Green Forest looked just as usual. TheLaughing Brook--ha! What was the matter with the Laughing Brook?He couldn't hear it and that, you know, was very unusual. Hedropped his rod and ran over to the Laughing Brook. There wasn'tany brook. No, sir, there wasn't any brook; just pools of waterwith the tiniest of streams trickling between. Big stones overwhich he had always seen the water running in the prettiest oflittle white falls were bare and dry. In the little poolsfrightened minnows were darting about.

  Farmer Brown's boy scratched his head in a puzzled way. "I don'tunderstand it," said he. "I don't understand it at all. Somethingmust have gone wrong with the springs that supply the water forthe Laughing Brook. They must have failed. Yes, Sir, that is justwhat must have happened. But I never heard of such a thinghappening before, and I really don't see how it could happen. Hestared up into the Green Forest just as if he thought he couldsee those springs. Of course, he didn't think anything of thekind. He was just turning it all over in his mind. "I know whatI'll do, I'll go up to those springs this afternoon and find outwhat the trouble is," he said out loud. "They are way over almoston the other side of the Green Forest, and the easiest way to getthere will be to start from home and cut across the Old Pastureup to the edge of the Mountain behind the Green Forest. If I tryto follow up the Laughing Brook now, it will take too long,because it winds and twists so. Besides, it is too hard work."

  With that, Farmer Brown's boy went back and picked up his rod.Then he started for home across the Green Meadows, and for oncehe wasn't whistling. You see, he was too busy thinking. In fact,he was so busy thinking that he didn't see Jimmy Skunk until healmost stepped on him, and then he gave a frightened jump andran, for without a gun he was just as much afraid of Jimmy asJimmy was of him when he did have a gun.

  Jimmy just grinned and went on about his business. It alwaystickles Jimmy to see people run away from him, especially peopleso much bigger than himself; they look so silly.

  "I should think that they would have learned by this time that ifthey don't bother me, I won't bother them, he muttered as herolled over a stone to look for fat beetles. "Somehow, folksnever seem to understand me."

  CHAPTER VII Farmer Brown's Boy Gets Another Surprise.

  Across the Old Pasture to the foot of the Mountain back of theGreen Forest tramped Farmer Brown's boy. Ahead of him trottedBowser the Hound, sniffing and snuffing for the tracks of Reddyor Granny Fox. Of course he didn't find them, for Reddy andGranny hadn't been up in the Old Pasture for a long time. But hedid find old Jed Thumper, the big gray Rabbit who had made thingsso uncomfortable for Peter Rabbit once upon a time and gave oldJed such a fright that he didn't look where he was going andalmost ran head-first into Farmer Brown's boy.

  "Hi, there, you old cottontail!" yelled Farmer Brown's boy, andthis frightened off Jed still more, so that he actually ran rightpast his own castle of bullbriars without seeing it.

  Farmer Brown's boy kept on his way, laughing at the fright of oldJed Thumper. Presently he reached the springs from which came thewater that made the very beginning of the Laughing Brook. Heexpected to find them dry, for way down on the Green Meadows theSmiling Pool was nearly dry, and the Laughing Brook was nearlydry, and he had supposed that of course the reason was that thesprings where the Laughing Brook started were no longer bubbling.

  But they were! The clear cold water came bubbling up out of theground just as it always had, and ran off down into the GreenForest in a little stream that would grow and grow as it ran andbecame the Laughing Brook. Farmer Brown's boy took off his raggedold straw hat and scowled down at the bubbling water just as ifit had no business to be bubbling there.

  Of course, he didn't think just that. The fact is, he didn't knowjust what he did think. Here were the springs bubbling away justas they always had. There was the little stream starting off downinto the Green Forest with a gurgle that by and by would become alaugh, just as it always had. And yet down on the Green Meadowson the other side of the Green Forest there was no longer aLaughing Brook or a Smiling Pool. He felt as if he ought to pinchhimself to make sure that he was awake and not dreaming.

  "I don't know what it means," said he, talking out loud. "No,Sir, I don't know what it means at all, but I'm going to findout. There's a cause for everything in this world, and when afellow doesn't know a thing, it is his business to find out allabout it. I'm going to find out what has happened to the LaughingBrook, if it takes me a year!"

  With that he started to follow the little stream which rangurgling down into the Green Forest. He had followed that littlestream more than once, and now he found it just as he rememberedit. The farther it ran, the larger it grew, until at last itbecame the Laughing Brook, merrily tumbling over rocks and makingdeep pools in which the trout loved to hide. At last he came tothe edge of a little open hollow in the very heart of the GreenForest. He knew what splendid deep holes there were in theLaughing Brook here, and how the big trout loved to lie in thembecause they were deep and cool. He was thinking of these troutnow and wishing that he had brought along his fishing rod. Hepushed his way through a thicket of alders and then--FarmerBrown's boy stopped suddenly and fairly gasped! He had to stopbecause there right in front of him w
as a pond!

  He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Then he stooped down and puthis hand in the water to see if it was real. There was no doubtabout it. It was real water--a real pond where there never hadbeen a pond before. It was very still there in the heart of theGreen Forest. It was always very still there, but it seemedstiller than usual as he tramped around the edge of this strangepond. He felt as if it were all a dream. He wondered if prettysoon he wouldn't wake up and find it all untrue. But he didn't,so he kept on tramping until presently he came to a dam--asplendid dam of logs and sticks and mud. Over the top of it thewater was running, and down in the Green Forest below he couldhear the Laughing Brook just beginning to laugh once more. FarmerBrown's boy sat down with his elbows on his knees and his chin inhis hands. He was almost too much surprised to even think.

  CHAPTER VIII Peter Rabbit Gets a Ducking.

  Farmer Brown's boy sat with his chin in his hands staring at thenew pond in the Green Forest and at the dam which had made it.That dam puzzled him. Who could have built it? What did theybuild it for? Why hadn't he heard them chopping? He lookedcarelessly at the stump of one of the trees, and then a stillmore puzzled look made deep furrows between his eyes. It looked--yes, it looked very much as if teeth, and not an axe, had cutdown that tree. Farmer Brown's boy stared and stared, his mouthgaping wide open. He looked so funny that Peter Rabbit, who washiding under an old pile of brush close by, nearly laughed rightout.

  But Peter didn't laugh. No, Sir, Peter didn't laugh, for justthat very minute something happened. Sniff! Sniff! That was rightbehind him at the very edge of the old brushpile, and every hairon Peter stood on end with fright.

  "Bow, wow, wow!" It seemed to Peter that the great voice wasright in his very ears. It frightened him so that he just had tojump. He didn't have time to think. And so he jumped right outfrom under the pile of brush and of course right into plainsight. And the very instant he jumped there came another greatroar behind him. Of course it was from Bowser the Hound. You see,Bowser had been following the trail of his master, but as healways stops to sniff at everything he passes, he had been somedistance behind. When he came to the pile of brush under whichPeter was hiding he had sniffed at that, and of course he hadsmelled Peter right away.

  Now when Peter jumped out so suddenly, he had landed right at oneend of the dam. The second roar of Bowser's great voicefrightened him still more, and he jumped right up on the dam.There was nothing for him to do now but go across, and it wasn'tthe best of going. No, indeed, it wasn't the best of going. Yousee, it was mostly a tangle of sticks. Happy Jack Squirrel orChatterer the Red Squirrel or Striped Chipmunk would have skippedacross it without the least trouble. But Peter Rabbit has nosharp little claws with which to cling to logs and sticks, andright away he was in a peck of trouble. He slipped down betweenthe sticks, scrambled out, slipped again, and then, trying tomake a long jump, he lost his balance and--tumbled heels overhead into the water.

  Poor Peter Rabbit! He gave himself up for lost this time. Hecould swim, but at best he is a poor swimmer and doesn't like thewater. He couldn't dive and keep out of sight like Jerry Muskrator Billy Mink. All he could do was to paddle as fast as his legswould go. The water had gone up his nose and down his throat sothat he choked, and all the time he felt sure that Bowser theHound would plunge in after him and catch him. And if heshouldn't why Farmer Brown's boy would simply wait for him tocome ashore and then catch him.

  But Farmer Brown's boy didn't do anything of the kind. No, Sir,he didn't. Instead he shouted to Bowser and called him away.Bowser didn't want to come, but he long ago learned to obey, andvery slowly he walked over to where his master was sitting.

  "You know it wouldn't be fair, old fellow, to try to catch Peternow. It wouldn't be fair at all, and we never want to do anythingunfair, do we?" said he. Perhaps Bowser didn't agree, but hewagged his tail as if he did, and sat down beside his master towatch Peter swim.

  It seemed to Peter as if he never, never would reach the shore,though really it was only a very little distance that he had toswim. When he did scramble out, he was a sorry-looking Rabbit. Hedidn't waste any time, but started for home as fast as he couldgo, lipperty-lipperty-lip. And Farmer Brown's boy and Bowser theHound just laughed and didn't try to catch him at all.

  "Well, I never!" exclaimed Sammy Jay, who had seen it all fromthe top of a pine tree. "Well, I never! I guess Farmer Brown'sboy isn't so bad, after all."

  CHAPTER IX Paddy Plans a House.

  Paddy the Beaver sat on his dam, and his eyes shone withhappiness as he looked out over the shining water of the pond hehad made. All around the edge of it grew the tall trees of theGreen Forest. It was very beautiful and very still and verylonesome. That is, it would have seemed lonesome to almost anyonebut Paddy the Beaver. But Paddy never is lonesome. You see, hefinds company in the trees and flowers and all the little plants.

  It was still, very, very still. Over on one side was a beautifulrosy glow in the water. It was the reflection from jolly, round,red Mr. Sun. Paddy couldn't see him because of the tall trees,but he knew exactly what Mr. Sun was doing. He was going to bedbehind the Purple Hills. Pretty soon the little stars would comeout and twinkle down at him. He loves the little stars and alwayswatches for the first one.

  Yes, Paddy the Beaver was very happy. He would have beenperfectly happy except for one thing. Farmer Brown's boy hadfound his dam and pond that very afternoon, and Paddy wasn'tquite sure what Farmer Brown's boy might do. He had kept himselfsnugly hidden while Farmer Brown's boy was there, and he feltquite sure that Farmer Brown's boy didn't know who had built thedam. But for this reason he might, he just might, try to find outall about it, and that would mean that Paddy would always have tobe on the watch.

  "But what's the use of worrying over troubles that haven't comeyet, and may never come? Time enough to worry when they do come,"said Paddy to himself, which shows that Paddy has a great deal ofwisdom in his little brown head. "The thing for me to do now isto get ready for winter, and that means a great deal of work," hecontinued. "Let me see, I've got to build a house, a big, stout,warm house, where I will be warm and safe when my pond is frozenover. And I've got to lay in a supply of food, enough to last meuntil gentle Sister South Wind comes to prepare the way forlovely Mistress Spring. My, my, I can't afford to be sitting heredreaming when there is so much to be done!"

  With that Paddy slipped into the water and swam all around hisnew pond to make sure of just the best place to build his house.Now, placing one's house in just the right place is a veryimportant matter. Some people are dreadfully careless about this.Jimmy Skunk, for instance, often makes the mistake of digging hishouse (you know Jimmy makes his house underground) right whereeveryone who happens along that way will see it. Perhaps that isbecause Jimmy is so independent that he doesn't care who knowswhere he lives.

  But Paddy the Beaver never is careless. He always chooses justthe very best place. He makes sure that it is best before hebegins. So now, although he was quite positive just where hishouse should be, he swam around the pond to make doubly sure.Then, when he was quite satisfied, he swam over to the place hehad chosen. It was where the water was quite deep.

  "There mustn't be the least chance that the ice will ever getthick enough too close up my doorway, said he, "and I'm sure itnever will here. I must make the foundations strong and the wallsthick. I must have plenty of mud to plaster with, and inside, upabove the water, I must have the snuggest, warmest room where Ican sleep in comfort. This is the place to build it, and it ishigh time I was at work."

  With that Paddy swam over to the place where he had cut the treesfor his dam, and his heart was light, for he had long ago learnedthat the surest way to be happy is to be busy.

  CHAPTER X Paddy Starts His House.

  Jerry Muskrat was very much interested when he found that Paddythe Beaver, who you know, is his cousin, was building a house.Jerry is a house-builder himself, and down deep in his heart hevery much doubted if Paddy could build as good a house as hecould. His hous
e was down in the Smiling Pool, and Jerry thoughtit a very wonderful house indeed, and was very proud of it. Itwas built of mud and sod and little alder and willow twigs andbulrushes. Jerry had spent one winter in it, and he had decidedto spend another there after he had fixed it up a little. So, aslong as he didn't have to build a brand-new house, he couldafford the time to watch his cousin Paddy. Perhaps he hoped thatPaddy would ask his advice.

  But Paddy did nothing of the kind. He had seen Jerry Muskrat'shouse, and he had smiled. But he had taken great pains not tolet Jerry see that smile. He wouldn't have hurt Jerry's feelingsfor the world. He is too polite and good-natured to do anythinglike that. So Jerry sat on the end of an old log and watchedPaddy work. The first thing to build was the foundation. This wasof mud and grass with sticks worked into it to hold it together.Paddy dug the mud from the bottom of his new pond. And becausethe pond was new, there was a great deal of grassy sod there,which was just what Paddy needed. It was very convenient.

  Jerry watched a little while and then, because Jerry is a workerhimself, he just had to get busy and help. Rather timidly he toldhis big cousin that he would like to have a share in building thenew house.

  "All right," replied Paddy, "that will be fine. You can bring mudwhile I am getting the sticks and grass."