useless tears, and kneeling upon the ice put her hands together and
prayed, adding to the petition she had learned at her mother's knee
some simple words of her own great need.

A yet more piteous whine from the bear showed his terror as the
ice-block gave a sickening whirl, and crawling upon his stomach he
crept close up to the little girl, his whole air saying as plainly as
words could have spoken:

"Oh, I am so scared, little girl, aren't you? Let us protect each other
somehow, or at least, you protect me."

And Roxie, with a strange, light-hearted sense of security and peace
replacing her terror and doubt, let the shaggy creature creep close to
her side, and nestling down into his thick fur, warmed her freezing
fingers against his skin, and with a smile upon her lips went
peacefully to sleep.

She was awakened by a tremendous shock, and a struggle, and a fall into
the water, and before she could see or know what had happened to her,
two strong arms were round her, and she was drawn again upon the
ice-cake, and her brother was bending close above her, and he was
saying:

"Oh, Roxie! are you hurt?"

"No, Jake, I--I believe not. Why, why, what is it all? Where is this,
and--oh, I know. Oh, Jake, Jake, I was so frightened!" And, turning
suddenly, she hid her face in her brother's coat and burst into a
passion of tears. But Jake, with one hurried embrace and kiss, put her