CHAPTER VI 
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE 
Ir might naturally be supposed that Bruno, 
when he left the lowly log-cabin home of the Wel- 
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 Wel- 
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 
