e instead of up and down. At the same time he
pointed to a deerskin seat on the raised floor of the hut, where Kannoa
had already placed a stone dish of smoking viands.

The smile which had overspread Rooney's face at the handshaking faded
away as he laid his hand on the old woman's shoulder, and, stooping
down, gazed at her with an expression of great tenderness.

Ah! Rooney, what is there in that old wrinkled visage, so scarred by
the rude assaults of Time, yet with such a strong touch of pathos in the
expression, that causes thy broad bosom to swell and thine eagle eyes to
moisten? Does it remind thee of something very different, yet
wonderfully like, in the old country?

Rooney never distinctly told what it was, but as he had left a much--
loved grandmother at home, we may be permitted to guess. From that hour
he took a tender interest in that little old woman, and somehow--from
the expression of his eye, perhaps, or the touch of his strong hand--the
old creature seemed to know it, and chuckled, in her own peculiar style,
immensely. For old Kannoa had not been overburdened with demonstrative
affection by the members of her tribe, some of whom had even called her
an old witch--a name which had sent a thrill of great terror through her
trembling old heart, for the doom of witches in Eskimo land in those
days was very terrible.

Next day, being that of the great feast, the entire village bestirred
itself with the first light of morning. Men and women put on their best
garments, the lamps were kindled, the cooking-kettles put on, and
preparations generally commenced on a grand scale.

Awaking and stretching himself, with his arms above his head and his
mouth open, young Ermigit yawned vociferously.

"Hah! how strong I feel," he said, "a white bear would be but a baby in
my hands!"

Going through a similar stretch-yawny process, his brother Norrak said
that he felt as if he had strength to turn a walrus inside out.

"Come, boys, turn yourselves out o' the house, and help to cut up the
meat. It is not wise to boast in the morning," said Okiok.

"True, father," returned Norrak quietly, "but if we don't boast in the
morning, the men do it so much all the rest of the day that we'll have
no chance."

"These two will be a match for you in talk before long," remarked Nuna,
after her sons had left.

"Ay, and also in body," returned the father, who was rather proud of his
well-grown boys. "Huk! what is Tumble