content. Sometimes with a string around his neck she led him about the
clearing and, though the big animal could easily have broken away, he
made no effort to do so. He was fed with good things until his gait
became an undignified waddle. Moreover he loved the petting which was
lavished upon him by this small backwoods maiden.

One day after a week of intense cold, during which the baby was confined
to the house and the skunk to the warmest corner of his box, the two
companions were again abroad, the skunk as usual being led happily
along. The baby's wanderings took her farther and farther from the house
until, upon rounding the corner of the poultry house which overlooked
the lonely pasture, she suddenly found herself face to face with a
gaunt, gray timber wolf.

She did not scream, but stood as if rooted to the spot. Both were
surprised but the wolf was the first to recover. He was starving and
here was food close at hand, to be had for the taking. His eyes flamed
as he crouched for the spring. Still the child stood, unable to move,
her eyes fixed as if fascinated on the savage ones so near.

It was a tense moment but the tragedy was averted by the big skunk. With
banner unfurled he stepped between the wolf and his prey. One moment the
wolf glared at the small black and white animal, whom he remembered only
too well. The blood lust quickly faded from his eyes, replaced by a
great fear. The next moment, with tail between his legs, he was in full
retreat, running as he had never run before, while the child rushed
screaming to the house.

The big skunk stood where they had left him, looking across the snowy
pasture. The sight of the ridge with its group of birch trees and the
gray rocks of the pasture recalled the memory of his old free life, and
of the den where he had slept so snugly. His weeks of pampered life
seemed to fall from him as if they had not been. Without a backward
glance he crossed the pasture and vanished over the ridge, the white
string trailing behind, the only link remaining between him and the life
of the settlements.

THE TWINS

The twins were born one blustery winter day in a den hollowed out
beneath the roots of a giant beech. They were woolly black bear cubs,
who at birth were blind and no larger than kittens. With nothing to do
but to eat and sleep, they grew rapidly. Outside in the forest the gales
howled and the snow drifted deep, but the cave was well protected and
the great