what the mad water would do when he drank it. How could he? It is
the first time he has drunk it; he will _never_ drink it again. But
that will not bring back my child."

The old man tried to say more, but his lip trembled and his voice
failed. His head drooped, and, turning abruptly round, he mingled with
the crowd.

It was evident that the people were deeply moved by this speech.
Probably they had never before given the mad water much of their
thoughts, but now, after what had been said, and especially after the
awful event of the previous night, opinion on the subject was beginning
to form.

Red Rooney noted the fact, and was quick to take advantage of the
opportunity.

"My friends," he said, and the natives listened all the more eagerly
that he spoke their language so well, "when a cruel enemy comes to your
shore, and begins to kill, how do you act?"

"We drive him into the sea; kill--destroy him," shouted the men
promptly.

"Is not mad water a cruel enemy? Has he not already begun his deadly
work? Has he not killed one of your best women, and broken the heart of
one of your best men?"

"Huk! huk! Yes, that is true."

"Then who will fight him?" shouted Rooney.

There was a chorus of "I wills," and many of the men, running up to
their huts, returned, some with bottles, and some with kegs. Foremost
among them was the old father of the murdered woman. He stumbled, fell,
and his keg rolled to Rooney's feet.

Catching it up, the sailor raised it high above his head and dashed it
to splinters on the stones. With a shout of enthusiasm the Eskimos
followed his example with bottle and keg, and in another moment quite a
cataract of the vile spirit was flowing into the sea.

"That is well done," said Hans Egede, coming up at the moment. "You
know how to take the tide at the flood, Rooney."

"Nay, sir," returned the sailor; "God brought about all the
circumstances that raised the tide, and gave me power to see and act
when the tide was up. I claim to be naught but an instrument."

"I will not quarrel with you on that point," rejoined Egede;
"nevertheless, as an instrument, you did it well, and for that I thank
God who has granted to you what I have prayed and toiled for, without
success, for many a day. It is another illustration of prayer being
answered in a different and better way from what I had asked or
expected."

In this strange manner was originated, on the spur of the moment, an
effect