Fearlessly she put her hand on his head again.

From the direction of the cabin came a shout, and at the sound of it she took Baree up under her arm once more.
"Bete noir--bete noir!" she called back tauntingly, but only loud enough to be heard a few yards away.

"Go back to Lac Bain--owases--you wild beast!" Nepeese began to make her way swiftly through the forest.

It grew deeper and darker, and there were no trails.

Three times in the next half-hour she stopped to put Baree down and rest her arm.