He responded to the call. It was in the nature of things that no power
less than physical force could hold him back. And yet he did not travel
as he had travelled from Challoner's camp to the cabin of Nanette and
the baby. There had been a definite object there, something to achieve,
something to spur him on to an immediate fulfilment. Now the thing that
drew him, at first, was an overpowering impulse, not a reality. For two
or three days his trail westward was wandering and indefinite. Then it
straightened out, and early in the morning of the fifth day he came
from a deep forest into a plain, and across that plain he saw the
ridge. For a long time he gazed over the level space before he went on.
In his brain the pictures of Neewa were becoming clearer and clearer.
After all, it seemed only yesterday or the day before that he had gone
away from that ridge. Then it was smothered in snow, and a gray,
terrible gloom had settled upon the earth. Now there was but little
snow, and the sun was shining, and the sky was blue again. He went on,
and sniffed along the foot of the ridge; he had not forgotten the way.
He was not excited, because time had ceased to have definite import for
him. Yesterday he had come down from that ridge, and to-day he was
going back. He went straight to the mouth of Neewa's den, which was
uncovered now, and thrust in his head and shoulders, and sniffed. Ah!
but that lazy rascal of a bear was a sleepy-head! He was still
sleeping. Miki could smell him. Listening hard, he could HEAR him.
He climbed over the low drift of snow that had packed itself in the
neck of the cavern and entered confidently into the darkness. He heard
a soft, sleepy grunt and a great sigh. He almost stumbled over Neewa,
who had changed his bed. Again Neewa grunted, and Miki whined. He ran
his muzzle into Neewa's fresh, new coat of spring fur and smelled his
way to Neewa's ear. After all, it was only yesterday! And he remembered
everything now! So he gave Neewa's ear a sudden sharp nip with his
teeth, and then he barked in that low, throaty way that Neewa had
always understood.
"Wake up, Neewa," it all said. "Wake up! The snow is gone, and it's
fine out to-day. WAKE UP!"
And Neewa, stretching himself, gave a great yawn.