, the
houses are built on the top of each other--one--two--three--four--even
five and six--one standing on the other."

As each number was named, the eyes of the assembly opened wider with
surprise, until they could open no further.

"Men, women, and children live in these houses; and if you were to
spread them all over the ice here, away as far as you can see in every
direction, you would not be able to see the ice at all for the houses."

"_What_ a liar!" murmured the mother of Arbalik to the mother of
Ippegoo.

"Dreadful!" responded the latter.

"Moreover," continued Rooney, "these people can put their words and
thoughts down on a substance called paper and send them to each other,
so that men and women who may be hundreds of miles away can talk with
each other and understand what they say and think, though they cannot
hear or see each other, and though their words and thoughts take days
and moons to travel."

The breathless Eskimos glanced at each other, and tried to open their
eyes wider, but, having already reached the utmost limit, they failed.
Unfortunately at that moment our hero was so tickled by the appearance
of the faces around him, that he smiled. In a moment the eyes collapsed
and the mouths opened.

"Ha! ha-a-a!" roared Simek, rubbing his hands; "the Kablunet is trying
to beat my walrus."

"And he has succeeded," cried Angut, who felt it his duty to stand up
for the credit of his guest, though he greatly wished that he had on
this occasion confined himself to sober truth.

A beaming expression forthwith took the place of surprise on every face,
as it suddenly dawned upon the company that Ridroonee was to be classed
with the funny dogs whose chief delight it is to recount fairy tales and
other exaggerated stories, with a view to make the men shout, the women
laugh, and the children squeak with amusement.

"Go on," they cried; "tell us more."

Rooney at once perceived his mistake, and the misfortune that had
befallen him. His character for veracity was shaken. He felt that it
would be better to say no more, to leave what he had said to be regarded
as a fairy tale, and to confine himself entirely to simple matters, such
as an Eskimo might credit. He looked at his friend Angut. Angut
returned the look with profound gravity, almost sorrow. Evidently his
faith in the Kablunet was severely shaken. "I'll try them once more,"
thought Rooney. "It won't do to have a vast range of subjects tabo