nge boy in his arms. He cried out,
"Kago, kago, don't, don't. You will tear my clothes!" for he was clad in
a fine apparel, which shone as if it had been made of a beautiful
transparent skin. The father reassured him by every means in his power.

By constant kindness and gentle words the boy was reconciled to remain
with them; but chiefly by the presence of his young friend, the hunter's
son, to whom he was fondly attached. The children were never parted from
each other; and when the hunter looked upon the strange boy, he seemed
to see living in him the better spirit of his lost wife. He was thankful
to the Great Spirit for this act of goodness, and in his heart he felt
assured that in time the boy would show great virtue, and in some way
avenge him on the wicked Weendigo who had destroyed the companion of his
lodge.

The hunter grew at ease in his spirit, and gave all of the time he could
spare from the chase to the society of the two children; but, what
affected him the most, both of his sons, although they were well-formed
and beautiful, grew no more in stature, but remained children still.
Every day they resembled each other more and more, and they never ceased
to sport and divert themselves in the innocent ways of childhood.

One day the hunter had gone abroad with his bow and arrows, leaving, at
the request of the strange boy, one of the two shafts which the friendly
Weendigo had given to him, behind in the lodge.

When he returned, what were his surprise and joy to see stretched dead
by his lodge-door, the black giant who had slain his wife. He had been
stricken down by the magic shaft in the hands of the little stranger
from the tree; and ever after the boy, or the Bone-Dwarf as he was
called, was the guardian and good genius of the lodge, and no evil
spirit, giant, or Weendigo, dared approach it to mar their peace.

XXIII.

THE BIRD LOVER.

In a region of country where the forest and the prairie strived which
should be the most beautiful--the open plain, with its free sunshine and
winds and flowers, or the close wood, with its delicious twilight-walks
and enamored haunts--there lived a wicked manito in the disguise of an
old Indian.

Although the country furnished an abundance of game, and whatever else a
good heart could wish for, it was the study of this wicked genius to
destroy such as fell into his hands. He made use of all his arts to
decoy men into his power, for the purpose of killing th