MAY-TIME IN THE FOREST 47 



But now there came a discord in the forest sym- 

 phony. The whining tone of some small animal in 

 trouble broke in upon the harmony of the woodland 

 orchestra. From down below came a rustle of dried 

 leaves and the sound of pattering feet drawing 

 nearer. 



Mrs. Weldon rose and, looking down the hill, 

 saw her Bruno trudging up the trail. With his 

 nose close to the ground, panting and crying in 

 distress, he was wandering back and forth, fol- 

 lowing her footsteps. When at last he came upon 

 her, he wriggled and wobbled in a frenzy of joy. 

 Back and forth for more than half a mile he had 

 scented and followed her track. 



Several times later the cub followed her into the 

 woods in the same way. On one occasion, she went 

 a long distance from the camp, to gather fiddle- 

 head ferns, the tender fronds of which, just as they 

 are uncurling, make delicious greens for the dinner- 

 table. When she returned, after several hours, 

 Bruno was missing and could not be found. The 

 lumbermen stopped their work to hunt for him. 

 They scoured the woods in every direction; and 

 at last they heard his whimpering, and presently 

 saw him coming. 



Standing aside quietly, they watched him. He 

 was visiting every spot where Mrs. Weldon had 

 picked the ferns. They called to him. He paid no 



