s arms, "I have a
surprise for you. You shall not live in a wigwam this winter."

"Why not?" asked Koto. "I like my wigwam. It is warm and keeps the
cold wind away."

"Wait, and you shall see," said his father. "You will like your new
lodge much better."

When they reached the camp, Koto saw what the chief had meant. During
the summer some white men had camped there and had built a log cabin
for themselves. Then they had gone away, leaving the little cabin
deserted, and now the chief had taken it for his lodge. Koto was very
much pleased with his new home, and the door which opened on hinges was
always a great surprise to him. He was not able to go out during that
long winter, but he was never lonely, for the first day they were in
the cabin a strange visitor came. It was a little, brown bird which
had been deserted by its mate, and it flew in to get away from the
cold. All winter it remained with Koto, feeding from his food at
mealtime, and hopping around him during the day as he was weaving his
baskets. At night it slept on a little board that was nailed to the
wall near Koto's bed of skins.

When springtime came and the door was left open, Koto noticed that the
bird's mate had returned. It flew to the bushes near the house and
called to Koto's bird, but she would not go, and at last her mate came
to the doorway. Again he called, and this time she went out, but she
came back at mealtime and remained with Koto all night. Every day
after that she would fly out in the morning and come back three or four
times during the day, while her mate would never come past the doorway.
Then one day she did not come back. Koto watched and waited for her.
The long day passed and evening came, still there was no sign of the
bird. The next day went by, and the next, and little Koto began to
look very sad as he sat at the door watching for her.

At last he hobbled out and sat very quietly under the trees. In a
little while he came back as quickly as he could, his face shining for
joy. When he entered the cabin, he looked around eagerly. Then his
face grew sad again.

"She is not here," he said sadly. "My little bird is not here."

"No, she is not here," said his mother, "Did you think she was?"

"Yes, I saw her fly in, but she is not here."

Koto went out again and seated himself under the trees once more, but
he saw no sign of his bird all the rest of that day. The next day he
went to the same place to wa