vens
with wondrous brightness, but Oowikapun saw them not. The problem of
life here and hereafter had come to him as never before. He found out
that he had a soul, and that there was a God to fear and love, who cared
for men and women, and that there was reward for right doing and
punishment for sin. So with the little light he had, he pondered and
thought, and the more he did the worse he got; for he had not yet found
the way of simple faith and trust, and he became so saddened and
terrified that there was but little sleep that night for him. As there
he sat longing for help, he remembered the words of Astumastao: "O, that
we had a missionary among us, with the book of heaven, that we might
learn more about the way, and be brave and courageous all the time!"

In this frame of mind he watched and waited until the first blush of
morn; then after a hasty meal prepared on his camp fire, he started off,
and in due time reached his home in the distant village in the
wilderness, and in the depressing mood in which we here first met him he
lived for many a day.

The change in him was noticed by all, and many conjectured as to the
cause, but Oowikapun unburdened not his heart, for he knew there was
none among his people who could understand, and with bitter memories of
his cowardice, he thought in his blindness that the better way to escape
ridicule and even persecution would be to keep all he had learned about
the Good Spirit and the book of heaven locked up in his heart.

Oowikapun was one of the best hunters in his village, and as his father
was dead and he was the oldest son, and now about twenty-five years of
age, he was looked up to as the head of the wigwam. In his Indian way
he was neither unkind to his mother nor to the younger members of the
family. To his little brothers he gave the two young bears, and they
soon taught them a number of tricks. They quickly learned the use of
their fore legs, and it was very amusing to see them wrestling with and
throwing the young Indian dogs, with whom they soon became great
friends.

Oowikapun, to divert attention from himself, and to keep from being
questioned about the change in his conduct, which was so evident to all,
devoted himself with unflagging energy to the chase. Spring having now
opened, the wild geese came in great flocks from their southern homes to
those northern lands, looking for the rich feeding grounds and safe
places where they could hatch their you