Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-28
CHAPTER VI
The Race of the Teeth

DERkY SQUIRREL looked down N
i amazement at the queer race to
which Jack had challenged Bucky
Beaver.
At one end Of the tree trunk which
braced the beaver dam were Bucky
Beaver and his gang ready to cut
through the trunk with their teeth. At
the other end were Jack and Trixie,
his pony.
eek! Elk! Have you gone crazy.
Jack?" barked Perky Squirrel. Don
you know that beavers have sharper
teeth even than squirrels-and squirrels
have fer better gnawers than boys or
ponies?"
Jack just laughed when l say
three y he s0id to Bucky Beaver. 1--WE
Will start. And so you beavers will not
be scared out, Trixie and 1 will cover
our heads with my coat"
Jack had thought of the plan of COW
ering his head because he knew the
beavers surely would cut through the
Tree trunk far faster than he and l'rixie.
lie wanted TO fool them and keep them
loo!ed until the tree trunk was cut
/ through.
, One, two. three" shouted Jack. On
the three the beavers went after the
tree trunk with their sharp teeth, and
my, how the chips did fly! Jack
covered Trixie's head and his own with
his coat, and the two Of them made a
lot Of noise, as if they were going
through the tree trunk like d buzz saw.
Janet, coming back from warning the
forest folks. was just as much amazed
rs Perky Squirrel. For moment she
couldn' t make out what Jack was doing.
But she didn't think Jack was crazy, as
Perky Squirrel did. She was sure he
was up to some clever trick.
The South Wind was fast melting the
SHOWS in the woods. The tiny streams
lunning down from the hilsides into the
creek grew larger and larger. The creek
began to swell, to the size of a river.
When the waters hit the beaver dam,
they backed up farther and farther. by
the time they reached the top of the
dam the valley would be flooded and
the forest folk would be drowned out.
The beavers gnawed on. swiftly,
surcty, sharply. Jack. beneath his coat,
shouted out orders to Trixte, Don {
eat 70 fast" he cried. Don't beat
the Beavers too far
When the beavers heard this they
thought Trixie and Jack were cutting
the trunk at terrific speed. They worked
their own teeth faster than ever.
Work. Work Work" urged Ducky
Beaver.
Down rushed the running waters.
Farther they backed up from the dam.
More and more the valley was flooded.
And then of sudden, Bucky Beaver
nj N
said I'VE have cut the tree trunk
through"
The beavers jumped back. SO did JACK
aud Trixie. Down dropped the tree
trunk, cut Cleanly in two by the sharp
teeth of the beavers.
Jack jumped on Trixic's back and
urged the pony up the bank.
lyon win" cried Jack. You have
the better teeth, but we have the better
brains. We have won, too"
Bucky Beaver and his gang were
looking ut Jacks end Of the trunk. They
,aw scarcely the mark of teeth. Then
BuCky Beaver knew he had been
trickcd.
Back to the dam" he ordered his
gang. Back to the dam and make it
strong
But Bucky Beaver was too late. The
running waters came down with a
greater rush. They struck the dam with
stronger force and splashed over the top.
Another rush of waters, and the dam,
weakened by the loss Of the tree trunk
brace, broke in the center. Swish
Swush The running waters rushed
through. They were free. They would
no longer back up into the valley. There
would be no flood. The forest folks were
safe
uomeward flew Jack and Janet on
their ponies. They had saved their
friends. Try as they would the beaver.
could not repair that dam until the
snow waters had all rushed through.