derness he was a suspicious
mystery that followed an unknown quest along an invisible trail.

And so along that trail, nearer and nearer to the Yellow Dog camp by the
Chetawa river, and little guessing that less than half-a-league divided
him at the moment from his unsuspecting prey, Double Runner, the artful
mischief-maker, took his noiseless path.

CHAPTER XIII

"NEW BED-FELLOWS"

The days in the new home slipped quietly one after the other without
anything particular happening, till once again Dusty Star found himself
in the neighbourhood of the Tamarack Swamp. He was not thinking of
Goshmeelee; and as the point at which he approached it was a long
distance from the spot where they had met, he had not the least idea
that he was anywhere near her lair. The thing which occupied his mind
was how he could get across the swamp without sticking in the slime. Of
course he could have avoided it altogether by going round; but that
would have meant a long tramp, and he wanted to reach the camp before
the evening fell.

It was just the hour before the coming-on of dusk when the swamp
appeared at its worst for damp, draughtiness and general dismalness. On
the surface of its stagnant pools nothing stirred, but if you waited
long enough, peering close into the black depths, bubbles would rise
slowly, telling you that things lived oozily far down in the fat slime.
And for all it was so terribly still, the air, when you stopped to
consider it, was full of low breathings, tickings, and watery whispers,
that seemed to come from hidden pockets, and tangles in the weeds. Every
tree, branch and stone had its covering of moss, or lichen. The lichen
was grey like very old hair. The moss was green with the greenness of
things that are very damp.

But here and there in this waste of watery bog, there were knolls of
dryness, like islands, where hemlocks or hardwoods lifted their twisted
boughs. And it was possible, if you knew the geography of the place, to
work your way from one island to another without getting bogged in
between. Dusty Star had reached one of these islands, sheltered by two
hemlock trees, when he noticed a deep hollow scooped out between their
roots. He stooped down and saw to his astonishment two baby bears curled
up together and fast asleep. They looked so beautiful with their little
bulgy bodies cuddled close against each other, that he loved them at
first sight. He was so much taken up with admiring them