he whimpered and whined as he limped along over the hard snow, and
hadn't the least idea whether he was headed towards home or deeper into
the great woods?

For a long time he kept on until it seemed to him he couldn't drag one
foot after another. Then quite suddenly something big and dark loomed up
in front of him. It really wasn't as big as it seemed. It was a little
house, a sugar camp, just such a one as Farmer Brown has near his home.
Bowser crept to the door. It was closed. Bowser sniffed and sniffed and
his heart sank, for there was no scent of human beings. Then he knew
that that little house was deserted and empty. Still he whined and
scratched at the door. By and by the door opened ever so little, for it
had not been locked.

Bowser crept in. In one corner he found some hay, and in this he curled
up. It was cold, very cold, but not nearly as cold as outside that
little house. So Bowser curled up in the hay and shivered and shook and
slept a little and wished with all his might that he never had found the
tracks of Old Man Coyote.




CHAPTER VI

THE SURPRISE OF BLACKY THE CROW

The harder it is to follow a trail
The greater the reason you should not fail.