CHAPTER VI 



IN TIMES OF TROUBLE 



IT might naturally be supposed that Bruno, 

 when he left the lowly log-cabin home of the Wei- 

 dons in the forest, would have gone forever out of 

 their lives, to be remembered only as a frolicsome 

 pet about whom they would always have a fund of 

 interesting stories to tell. Surely no one could have 

 imagined that the act of saving from starvation 

 this furry mite of helplessness could possibly play 

 any far-reaching part in the destiny of the back- 

 woods family. Who would have thought that this 

 kindly deed would be the means of saving the life 

 of the generous mother, and again and again bring- 

 ing help to the family in times of sore distress and 

 need ? Yet this, indeed, is the simple truth. 



The spark of life kept burning within the little 

 creature that had been born beneath the cold 

 winter snows kindled, as it were, a genial glow that 

 has wrought many wonderful things for the Wei- 

 dons. Even to-day, when I am writing this story, 

 eighteen years after the first incident happened, 

 it has not ceased to bring them cheer and comfort, 

 with practical help, when in sickness or in trouble. 



Late in the winter of 1904 I again visited my 

 camp in Maine. I had previously heard that the 



