Not only was he struggling against an unaccountable dislike of all cubs in general, but also against the firmly established habits of ten years of aloneness.

Yet he was beginning to comprehend that there was something very pleasant and companionable in the nearness of Muskwa.

With the coming of man a new emotion had entered into his being--perhaps only the spark of an emotion.

Until one has enemies, and faces dangers, one cannot fully appreciate friendship--and it may be that Thor, who now confronted real enemies and a real danger for the first time, was beginning to understand what friendship meant.

Also it was drawing near to his mating season, and about Muskwa was the scent of his mother.