and massive rampike.

Into this shadowy tangle the girl pushed fearlessly, peering ahead
beneath the dark, balsam-scented branches. She could see, in a broken
fashion, to the very foot of the rampike, across which lay a huge
fallen trunk. But she could see nothing of old "Spotty," who, by
reason of her vivid colouring of red and white splotches, would have
been conspicuous against those dark surroundings.

There was something in the silence, combined with the absence of the
cow whom she confidently expected to find, which sent a little chill
to the girl's heart. She gripped her axe more tightly, and stood quite
motionless, accustoming her eyes to the confused gloom; and presently
she thought she could distinguish a small brownish shape lying on a
mound of moss near the foot of the rampike. A moment more and she
could see that it was looking at her, with big, soft eyes. Then a pair
of big ears moved. She realized that it was a calf she was looking at.
Old "Spotty's" truancy was accounted for.

But where was old "Spotty"? Melindy thought for a moment, and
concluded very properly that the mother, considering the calf
well-hidden, had slipped away to the spring for a drink. She was on
the point of stepping forward to admire the little new-comer and see
if it was yet strong enough to be led home to the barn, when a
stealthy rustling at the farther side of the thicket arrested her.

Certainly that could not be the cow, who was anything but stealthy in
her movements. But what could it be?

Melindy had a sudden prescience of peril. But her nerves stiffened to
it, and she had no thought of retreat. It might be one of those savage
lynxes, spying upon the calf in its mother's absence. At this idea
Melindy's small mouth itself set very grimly, and she rejoiced that
she had brought the axe along. The lynx, of all the wild creatures,
she regarded with special antagonism.

The stealthy movements came nearer, nearer, then suddenly died out. A
moment more and a dark bulk took shape noiselessly among the
fir-branches, some ten or twelve feet beyond the spot where the
helpless calf was lying.

For a second Melindy's heart stood still. What was her little axe
against a bear! Then she recalled the general backwoods faith that the
biggest black bear would run from a human being, if only he had plenty
of room to run. She looked at the helpless little one curled up on
its mossy bed. She looked at the savage black shape gliding slowly