colours where wild flowers were bursting into bloom. Yet the
increasing power of the sun had failed to destroy every trace of
winter--for occasional patches of snow were to be seen clinging to the
shady sides of the steepest hills and small ice floes were still
floating in the lake below. But as summer comes swiftly in the Great
Northern Forest, spring loses no time in lingering by the way. Already
the restless south wind was singing softly to the "Loneland" of the
glorious days to come.

The forest and all her creatures, hearing the song of spring time, were
astir with joyous life. Among the whispering trees the bees were
humming, the squirrels chattering, and many kinds of birds were making
love to one another.

No wonder Shing-wauk--The Little Pine--sang his love song, too, for was
not his heart aflame with the spring time of life? Perched high among
the branches of a pine the youth was relieving the monotony of his
drumming by occasionally chanting. At the foot of the thickly wooded
hillside upon which the pine stood the indolent waters of Muskrat Creek
meandered toward Bear Lake. On the bank near the river's mouth stood
the lodges, but neither Oo-koo-hoo nor Amik seemed to be at home; and
the rest of the family may have been absent, too, for the dogs were
mounting guard.

Again the boy beat his drum; louder and louder he sang his love song
until his soft rich voice broke into a wail. Presently the door-skin
of Granny's lodge was gently pushed aside, and Neykia stepped
indolently forth.

Shading her eyes with her hand, the girl gazed at the hillside, but