40 Wilderness Ways. 



clear and the big woods budding. But never a song 

 in all that time ; my ears were hungry for his voice 

 as I leaped out to run eagerly to the big cedar. 

 There were the stakes, and the tin plate, and the bark 

 roof all crushed by the snows of winter. The bread 

 was gone ; what Killooleet had spared, Tookhees the 

 wood mouse had eaten thankfully. I found the old 

 tent poles and put up my house leisurely, a hundred 

 happy memories thronging about me.. In the midst 

 of them came a call, a clear whistle, — and there he 

 was, the same full cravat, the same bright cap, and 

 the same perfect song to set my nerves a-tingling: 

 / ''m here, sweet Killooleet-lillooleet-lillooleet! And when 

 I put crumbs by the old fireplace, he flew down to 

 help himself, and went off with the biggest one, as of 

 yore, to his nest by the deer path. 



