ite, he
closed the clasp-knife with which he had been eating.

"Now, my friend," he said, looking at Rooney, "I have eaten quite enough
to do me good in my present condition,--perhaps more than enough. You
know it is not safe for starving men to eat heartily. Besides, I am
anxious to give some food to the poor fellows who are with me. One of
them has met with a severe accident and is dying I fear. He does not
belong to my party, I found him on the mainland and brought him here
just before the storm burst on us, intending to take him on to Godhaab.
He stands more in need of food than sleep, I think."

"Come, then, we will go to him at once," said Rooney, tying up the
remains of Egede's breakfast. "How did he come by his accident?"
continued the sailor, as the party walked up towards the bushes.

"The girl who takes care of him--his daughter, I think--says he was
injured by a bear."

"If it is a case of broken bones, perhaps I may be of use to him," said
Rooney, "for I've had some experience in that way."

Egede shook his head, "I fear it is too late," he replied. "Besides,
his mind seems to give him more trouble even than his wasted frame. He
has come, he says, from the far north, and would certainly have perished
after his accident if it had not been for the care and kindness of the
women who are with him--especially the younger woman. See, there she
comes. Her father must have awakened, for she rests near him at night
and never leaves him in the morning till he wakes up."

The missionary was startled at that moment by a loud shout from his
companion. Next instant Angut rushed past him, and, catching the girl
in his arms, gave her a most fervent and lover-like embrace, to which
she seemed in no ways averse.

It soon became obvious to the missionary that a most unexpected and
pleasant meeting of friends was taking place; but the surprise expressed
on his grave visage had barely given place to a benignant smile of
sympathy, when a female shriek was heard, and Sigokow was seen running
towards her sister Kabelaw. These two did not leap into each other's
arms. The feelings of Eskimo females do not usually find vent in that
way; but they waltzed round each other, and grinned, and smoothed each
other's hair, and when Kabelaw observed that her sister had a huge black
eye and a yet unhealed cut across the bridge of her rather flat nose,
she clapped her hands, and went into fits of laughter, which helped her
s