198 My Dogs in the Northland 



intruders, Muff was the guardian generally 

 selected, and faithfully and well would she 

 do her duty. Once put in charge of the tools 

 or supplies of food or left in charge of the 

 campfire, where the men took their meals 

 when out chopping wood in the forest, she 

 would not allow any strange man or dog to 

 come near. 



It was primitive work, thus toiling with 

 my Indians in securing the needed timber 

 for our houses. Every stick cut and hewn 

 had to be dragged by the dogs about a dozen 

 miles ; yet six dogs would take a green stick 

 of spruce or balsam ten inches square and 

 thirty-six feet long and drag it at a jog-trot 

 speed to the place selected for the erection of 

 our church and parsonage. 



Muff was one of my most willing dogs. 

 Indeed, she was too eager and, as we shall 

 see, about ruined herself because of it. She 

 became the mother of some beautiful pup- 

 pies, and so affectionate were her motherly 

 instincts towards them that she seemed to 

 think just as much of them long after they 

 were weaned and had grown up into dogs. 

 She was unhappy if separated from them, 

 and fretted until she was again among them. 

 This made it a matter of regret when she had 



