cate
his news to Okiok and Angut, but these worthies having gone out to visit
some snares and traps, no one knew whither, he was obliged to seek
counsel of Simek.

On hearing of the plot that seemed to be hatching, that jovial hunter at
once ordered his sledge to be got ready, and started off, with two
stalwart sons and his nephew Arbalik, for Moss Bay, to warn Nunaga of
her enemy's intentions, and to fetch her home. But alas! for even the
best laid of human plans.

It so happened that one of the Eskimo youths, who was rather inclined to
tease Nunaga, had set a snow-trap for Arctic foxes about two miles from
the village. As the spot was not much out of the way, the girl resolved
to turn aside and visit the trap, take out the fox, if one chanced to be
caught, and in any case set the trap off, or put a bit of stick into it
by way of fun. The spot chanced to be only a short distance beyond the
place where the wizard had met Ippegoo, but the sea-shore there was so
covered with hummocks of ice that Nunaga had approached without being
observed by either the wizard or the pupil. It was not more than a few
minutes after Ippegoo had left on his errand to herself that she came
suddenly in sight of Ujarak. He was seated, as if in contemplation, on
a rock at the base of the cliff.

Suspecting no evil, Nunaga stopped her team of dogs. It was her
father's best team, consisting of the swiftest and most enduring animals
in the village. The wizard observed this as he rose up and approached,
rejoicing to think that Fortune had favoured him. And truly Fortune--or
rather, God--was indeed favouring the wicked man at that time, though
not in the way that he imagined.

In a few moments Ujarak's plans were laid. The opportunity was too good
to be lost.

"Where goes Nunaga to-day?" he asked quietly, on reaching the sledge.

"To Moss Bay," answered Nunaga.

"Has Nunaga forgotten the road?" asked Ujarak, with a slight look of
surprise. "This is not the way to Moss Bay."

"It is not far out of the way," said Kabelaw, who was the more
self-assertive of the two lying sisters; "we go to visit a trap, and
have no time to waste with _you_."

As she spoke she seized the heavy Eskimo whip out of Nunaga's hand, and
brought it smartly down on the backs of the whole team, which started
off with a yelp, and also with a bound that well-nigh left Tumbler and
Pussi behind. But she was not quick enough for Ujarak, who exclaimed
with a laug