someonewaswatg,said"Hush",madesignstothemtojoinitihickerbitofwoodwhereitwasstanding,andthenoncemoredisappeared.

    "Iknowwhatitis,"saidPeter;"itsabeaver.Isawthetail.”

    "Itwantsustogotoit,"saidSusan,"anditiswarningusnottomakeanoise.”

    "Iknow,"saidPeter."Thequestionis,arewetogotoitornot?Whatdoyouthink,Lu?”

    "Ithinkitsanicebeaver,"saidLucy.

    "Yes,buthowdoweknow?"saidEdmund.

    "Shantwehavetoriskit?"saidSusan."Imean,itsnogoodjuststandinghereandIfeelIwantsomedinner.”

    AtthismomenttheBeaveragainpoppeditsheadoutfrombehireeandbeedearlytothem.

    "eon,"saidPeter,"letsgiveitatry.Allkeepclosetogether.Weoughttobeamatchforonebeaverifitturnsouttobeanenemy.”

    Sothechildrenallgotclosetogetherandwalkeduptothetreeandinbehindit,andthere,sureenough,theyfoundtheBeaver;butitstilldrewback,sayingtotheminahoarsethroatywhisper,"Furtherin,efurtherin.Rightinhere.Werenotsafeintheopen!”

    Onlywhenithadledthemintoadarkspotwherefrewsoclosetogetherthattheirboughsmetandthebrowhandpineneedlescouldbeseenunderfootbecausenosnowhadbeeofallthere,diditbegintotalktothem.

    "AreyoutheSonsofAdamandtheDaughtersofEve?"itsaid.

    "Weresomeofthem,"saidPeter.

    "S-s-s-sh!"saidtheBeaver,"notsoloudplease.Werenotsafeevenhere.”

    "Why,whoareyouafraidof?"saidPeter."Theresnooneherebutourselves.”