The train did not stop during the night. Once Benny said loudly, “I’ll tell you in the morning!”
“Morning?” Grandfather said. He woke up suddenly. “Is it morning?”
Henry whispered, “No, Grandfather. Benny’s talking in his sleep.”
When it was really morning, Benny said, “I didn’t sleep a wink last night.”
Henry laughed. He said, “Oh, no?”
“No, I didn’t,” said Benny again. “But you and Grandfather did. I heard you both snoring all night.”
“I’m sorry I kept you awake, Benny,” said Mr. Alden. He winked at Henry. “I know I do snore.”
“I could go right back to sleep,” Benny said.
“Oh, don’t do that, Benny,” called Violet. “You’ll miss the beavers. Remember we get off at Beaver Lake at nine o’clock.”
“That’s right,” agreed Benny. “I do want to see the beavers. I guess I can stay awake that long.”
After breakfast, Benny said, “I’m going to sit on the back platform until nine o’clock.”
His two sisters went with him this time. The train went through many small places without stopping. The Aldens waved at everyone they saw.
Suddenly Benny said, “Jessie, did you notice the workmen at the last station we passed? They pointed at our big caboose and began to laugh.”
“Yes,” said Jessie. “I suppose we do look funny, with three cabooses in a row.”
“But not that funny,” said Benny. “I’m sure they were pointing at the big caboose and at us.”
Violet said, “I don’t think they are pointing at us. They point to something on the caboose.”
“Right over our heads, Violet,” said Benny. “Maybe there is something on the caboose.”
They looked up, but all they could see was the number of the car, 777.
Soon they heard Mr. Carr call out, “Beaver Lake, Beaver Lake!”
They were all ready to jump down when the train stopped. Mr. Carr and Al met them at the steps.
Benny said, “Oh, I wanted to ask you about the big caboose. You said it had a history.”
Mr. Carr laughed and said, “So I did. But I haven’t time now. I can’t even go with you. I have to watch the men unload the freight. But Al can go with you.”
Al led the way. A small river went under the railroad track. They followed it. Soon they reached some thick woods. Al took them along a path. They could not see the river, but they could hear it rushing along.
Al pointed to a sign that said “Beaver Lake.” “You could go on alone,” he said, “but I like to watch the beavers myself.”
Benny said, “I suppose Old Beaver put up that sign?”
“That’s right,” said Al. “Sometimes he will come and talk. Sometimes not. This is the place where I usually meet him.”
But no one was there.
Soon there was another sign. It said “Please do not talk.”
Not even Benny said a word after that.
Then the Aldens saw something that looked like a tent. It had a long bench inside. The roof and one wall of the tent were made to look like real bushes. A sign said, “Sit down and watch. Room for six only.”
Everyone had the same thought—how lucky! There were exactly six people, counting Al.
The Aldens could look out through holes in the bushes and see the river, only now the river was a lake. Al pointed. Then everyone saw a big beaver.
The beaver was swimming along with only his head showing. When the beaver came to the round roof of his house, he stopped. Then he began to climb up. Benny noticed that the beaver was covered with mud. Soon he saw why.
The beaver climbed to the top of his house. Then he slid down and scraped off the mud. After that, the beaver climbed up the other side of the house and slapped the mud down with his tail. Then the Aldens knew that the beaver meant to do this.
Suddenly there was a loud crash in the bushes, and a tree fell with a splash into the water. Beside the stump was another beaver. It had cut the little tree down by gnawing the trunk with its sharp teeth.
The Aldens could not take their eyes off this beaver. It walked along the tree it had just cut down. Then it began to gnaw the tree in two, exactly in the middle.
Part of the tree fell into the water. When the tree was cut into two pieces, the beaver swam out and pushed the two parts together, side by side. Then he pushed them both down the lake to the dam. They were just the right length and stayed on top of the dam to keep water from spilling over.
Just then Al looked at his watch and got up to go. The rest followed. They were near the first sign when they heard something in the bushes.
“Hello, folks,” said a deep voice. They all turned around.
“Yes, I’m Old Beaver,” said the man. He had thick gray hair, and his face was almost covered with a curly gray beard. He was smiling.
Grandfather said, “You are doing a fine job saving a few beavers. They are wonderful animals.”
“Thank you,” said Old Beaver. “They are smarter than we are in some ways. May I ask how you got here?”
Grandfather laughed. “We came on the caboose of a freight train. We are having a new kind of vacation.”
“This young man seems to be having a good time,” said Old Beaver, looking at Benny.
Benny said, “Yes, I’m having a grand time. We cook and eat and sleep in the caboose. It’s Number 777.”
“What?” said Old Beaver. “Number 777?” He suddenly turned around and crashed into the woods without another word.
“What do you know!” cried Benny, staring.
“Well, what’s the matter with him?” asked Henry.
“Come on,” said Al. “He’s always been odd. We can’t bother with him.”
Grandfather said, “I should say he was odd.”
When the Aldens reached the station, they looked all over the outside of the caboose. They could not see anything strange. All they could see was the number, 777.
Violet said softly, “But Number 777 was enough to scare Old Beaver.”
When the train had started again, Mr. Alden said, “Al told us that the next station will be Pinedale. We get off there to get ice and water. Maybe someone can tell us at Pinedale about Old Beaver. And maybe they will know what is so strange about our caboose, Number 777.” |