gnawed through and needing only a few more bites to bring it down. He
was intending to finish his task soon after dark--which was the time
he liked best for working.

Accordingly, after Brownie had finished his supper and had called at
every house in the village to talk over the visit of the strange man,
he swam to the shore of the pond and made his way to the slanting
tree, which stood a short distance from the water.

It was quite dark. And that was what Brownie liked, because he could
work without being disturbed--at least, that was what he thought.

Since he could see quite well in spite of the dark he had no trouble
in finding his tree. And he lost no time in setting to work on it
again.

He began to gnaw at it once more. But he hadn't moved more than
half-way around the tree-trunk when something happened that almost
frightened him out of his skin.

Right out of the darkness came a blinding flash of light. And at the
same time a queer _click_ sounded in the bushes close by.

Just for a moment Brownie Beaver was stiff with fear. But when the
darkness closed in upon him again he ran for his life toward the pond.
And plunging into the water he swam quickly to the bottom and hurried
up his winding hall into his bedroom, where he crouched trembling upon
his bed, wondering whether he had been shot.

Brownie knew that at night a gun made a flash of light. But this gun