He wanted to go down there with Umisk and his little chums and roll and play.

He wanted to tell them, if such a thing were possible, that he had lost his mother and his home, and that he had been having a mighty hard time of it, and that he would like to stay with them and their mothers and fathers if they didn't mind.
In his throat there came the least bit of a whine.

It was so low that Umisk and his playmates did not hear it.

They were tremendously busy.
Softly Baree took his first step toward them, and then another--and at last he stood on the narrow strip of shore within half a dozen feet of them.

His sharp little ears were pitched forward, and he was wiggling his tail as fast as he could, and every muscle in his body was trembling in anticipation.
It was then that Umisk saw him, and his fat little body became suddenly as motionless as a stone.
"Hello!" said Baree, wiggling his whole body and talking as plainly as a human tongue could talk.