Evening star., 1913-12-05
Paddy the Beaver Too Smart
for Farmer Browns Boy.

Farmer Browns boy was much pleased |
with himself. He would tear a hole in
the dam of Paddy the Beaver SO that the |
water from the pond would run out and |
then Paddy would have TO show himself. |
Why hadn't he thought Of such a simple |
plan before? IT couldn't fail. He hurried |
over to the dam and right in the middle |
began to pull out sticks and make a hole |
II wasn't as easy as he had thought II |
would be. You see, Paddy had built his |
dam well. But Farmer Browns boy kept |
at IL He tugged and pulled and pulled /
and tugged until finally he had made a |
hole through which the water rushed.
Farmer Browns boy sat down 10 rest |
There said ne, Il guess that will
make Mr. Beaver a little uneasy"
He was quite right. II did make Paddy |
the Beaver uneasy. At first, of course, |
he didn't know anything about 1t because |
he was safe in the big, comfortable room |
in mis- house out IN the pond. He could i
hear Sammy Jay and Blacky the Grow |
making great fuss, so he knew that it |
wasn't safe 10 come out. He busted him |
self by cutting of the ends of sticks
that stuck out from the walls. You see, |
Paddy wouldn't be happy if he wasn't |
busy about something. BY and by ne
happened-just happened-to look down
one of his halls leading 10 doorway
down under the water Paddy gave a
great jump inside. Something was wrong.
The water didn't come UP it should
He rushed TO another hall and then to
u
Right away Paddy knew what was the
matter. There was break in mis- dam
and The water was getting lower and
lower in his pond. If that break WASH
mended all the water in his pond would
run down the Laughing Brook and there
wouldn't be any pond. Then his splendid
house would be of no use and Old Man
Coyote would be able TO catch him. Some
thing had got to be done! Yes. sir, some
thing had got to be done right away
Paddy SAT for few minutes staring
down at the water. II got lower while
he looked. He listened. Sammy Jay
and Biacky the Crow were still making
q great fuss. so he knew that Farmer
Browns boy was still there Then ne
slipped down one of the halls and swan
under water TO mis- storehouse. Now some
Of the branches of his food supply came
quite to the surface Of the water and
even little bit above Paddy swan up
under one of these where he could put his
head above water without being seen
He looked all around and pretty soon he
saw what he was looking for-Farmer
Browns boy sitting down TO rest under
tall pine tree. Sammy Jay and Blacky
the Crow were telling him what they
thought of him for doing such a mean
thing as 10 make hole in Paddy's
dam.
Paddy's eyes twinked Then he took
q long breath and swan under water
straight over to the hole in his dam
Working fast he knew how he
scooped up mud and stuffed Ii into the
hole He brought two or three sticks
from another part Of the dam and put
them in there When ne could hold his
breath no longer he stuck just the end
Of his nose out of water and took another
long breath. Little by little the water
stopped its rushing through the hole.
BY and by il stopped altogether. Paddy
had mended his dam.
All this time Farmer Browns boy sat
ander the pine tree resting, for tearing
that hole in the dam had been hard work.
~ and by ne noticed that the pond didn't
seem TO be getting lower fast il
ought TO. lie watched for some time
Then ne noticed that ne couldn't hear the
rushing sound OF the water as loud as az
first. After awhile he didn't hear it ar
al That's queer, he said, and started
over TO the dam. Must he that some
thing has drifted into that hole and filled
il up he muttered. When he reached
the dam and looked he knew that ths
mud and sticks with which the hole was
1Iled could never have drifted there: somt
one had put them there. or course tha
some one must have been Paddy the
Beaver.
Farmer Browns boy Strengthened up
and looked over to Paddy's house Ther
he took of his hat and made low bow
II can't see YOU. Mr.. Beaver" said he
but / guess you and / take off
my hat to you You are too smart TO
me and | want you 10 know that this Is
the last time I'll ever meddle with you
dam, and no one else will II l can help
II