we friends." And trusting Her own brave 

 little heart she stepped in front of the deadly 

 arrow and walked straight to the big wolf, 

 which moved aside timidly and sat down 

 again at a distance, with the friendly expres- 

 sion of a lost collie in eyes and ears and 

 wagging tail tip. 



Cheerfully enough Noel slacked his long 

 bow, for the wonder of the woods was strong 

 upon him, and the hunting-spirit, which leads 

 one forth to frighten and kill and to break 

 the blessed peace, had vanished in the better 

 sense of comradeship which steals over one 

 when he watches the Wood Folk alone and 

 friendly in the midst of the solitudes. As 

 they went on their way again the big wolf 

 trotted after them, keeping close to their - ' 

 trail but never crossing it, and occasion- .,.,'t % w 

 ally ranging up alongside, as if to keep f,gg 

 them in the right way. Where the woods '0(^1 

 were thickest Noel, with no trail to guide ,|$ 

 him, swung uncertainly to left and right, 



peering through the trees for some land- 

 mark on the distant hills. Twice the big 

 wolf trotted out to one side, returned and 



171 



W//s Iftat Cms 

 In/fteJnow 



:-* e-a- ■ 



t: 



