Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-18
CHAPTER XVI

THAT night the big loneliness returned
i to Muskwa Bruce and Metoosin were
so tired after their hard climb over the
range that they went to bed early and
Langdon followed them, leaving Ppoonas-
koos where Bruce had first thrown him.
Scarcely a move had Muskwa made after
the discovery that had set his heart beating
a little faster. He did not know what
death was or what II meant and as
Pipoonaskoos was so warm and soft he was
sure that he would move after a little He
had no inclination to fight him now.
Again it grew very, very still and the
stars filled the sky and the fire burned low
But Pipoonaskoos did not move. Gently at
first Muskwa began nosing him and pulling
at his silken hair and as he did this he
whimpered softly, as II saying 81 don't
want to fight you any more, Pipoonaskoos
Wake up and let's be friends :"
But still Pipoonaskoos did not stir. and
at last Muskwa gave up all hope Of waking
him And still whimperng to his fat little
enemy Of the green meadow how sorry
he was that he had chased him, he snug
gled close up to Pipoonaskoos and in time
went to sleep.
Langdon was first up in the morning
| and when he came over to see how Musxwa
had Jared during the night he suddenly
stopped and for a full minute he stood
without moving, and then a low, strange
| cry broke from his lips For Muskwa and
| Pipoonaskoos were snuggled as closely as
| they could have snugged had both been
! living and in some way Muskwa had ar
| ranged II so that one Of the dead cub $
| little paws was embracing him,
Quietly Langdon returned TO where Bruce
was sleeping, and in a minute or two Bruce
returned with him. rubbing his eyes. And
then he, too stared, and the men looked
| at each other.
Dog meat" breathed Langdon. You
| brought II home for dog meat. Bruce
Bruce did not answer Langdon said moth
ing more, and neither talked very much
for a full hour after that During that hour
Metoosn came and dragged Pipoonaskoo
| away, and instead Of being skinned and
fed to the dogs he was put into a hole dowr
in the creek-bottom and covered with SAND
and stones. That much, at least, Bruce
and Langdon did for Pipoonaskoos.
This day Metoosin and Bruce again wen
over the range The mountaineer hat
brought back with him bits OF quartz II
which were unmistakable signs Of gold
and they returned with an outfit for pan
ming
Langdon continued his education Of Musk
wa. Several times he took the cub nea
the dogs and when they snarled an,
strained at the ends of their lashes h
whipped them, until with quick understand
ing they gripped the fact that Muskwa
| although a bear must not be harmed.
In the afternoon Of this second day n
freed the cub entirely from the rope an
he had no dif1culty in recapturing II whe
he wanted TO tie II up again The thir
and fourth days Bruce and the India
explored the valley west OF the range an
, convinced themselves finally that the "co
ors" they found were only a part Of n
hood-drifts, and would not lead 20 fortun
! on this fourth night, which happened
! be thick with clouds and chilly, Langdo
l experimented by taking Muskwa to be
/ with him. He expected trouble But Musl
1 wa was as quiet as a kitten, and once
found a proper nest for himself he scarce
Z made a move until morning A part Of Il
! night Langdon slept with ono Of his hanl
; resting on the cubs soft warm body,
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