After a long conversation, which they conducted in a whisper so that Paup-puk-keewiss could not catch a word, strain his ears as he would, they all advanced in a body toward the spot where he stood, the chief approaching the nearest, and lifting his head highest out of the water. “Can you not,” said Paup-puk-keewiss, noticing that they waited for him to speak first, “turn me into a beaver? I wish to live among you.” “Yes,” answered their chief; “lie down.” And Paup-puk-keewiss in a moment found himself a beaver, and was gliding into the water, when a thought seemed to strike him, and he paused at the edge of the lake. “I am very small,” he said to the beaver, in a sorrowful tone. “You must make me large,” he said; for Paup-puk-keewiss was terribly ambitious, and wanted always to be the first person in every company. “Larger than any of you; in my present size it’s hardly worth my while to go into the water.” “Yes, yes!” said they. “By and by, when we get into the lodge, it shall be done.” They all dived into the lake, and in passing great heaps of limbs and logs at the bottom, he asked the use of them. They answered, “It is for our winter’s provisions.” When they all got into the lodge their number was about one hundred. The lodge was large and warm. “Now we will make you large,” said they. “Will _that_ do?” “Yes,” he answered; for he found that he was ten times the size of the largest. “You need not go out,” said the others; “we will bring you food into the lodge, and you will be our chief.” “Very well,” Paup-puk-keewiss answered. He thought, “I will stay here and grow fat at their expense.” But, soon after, one ran into the lodge, out of breath, crying out, “We are visited by the Indians!” All huddled together in great fear. The water began to lower, for the hunters had broken down the dam, and they soon heard them on the roof of the lodge, breaking it up. Out jumped all the beavers into the water, and so escaped. Paup-puk-keewiss tried to follow them, but, unfortunately, to gratify his ambition they had made him so large that he could not creep out at the hole. He tried to call them back, but either they did not hear or would not attend to him; he worried himself so much in searching for a door to let him out that he looked like a great bladder, swollen and blistering in the sun, and the sweat stood out upon his forehead in knobs and huge bubbles.