ho had been somewhat impressed by
Ujarak's description of the stranger, and his evident desire that no one
should go near him.

"He is not fat," answered Okiok, "but he has not been starving long;
sleeping and stuffing will soon make him strong. Don't you think so,
Norrak? You saw him at his worst, when we found him on the ice."

Thus appealed to, Okiok's eldest son laid down the piece of blubber with
which he had been engaged, nodded his head several times, and said,
"Yes, he will be able to run, and jump soon."

"And he speaks our language _well_," said Okiok, with a look of great
interest.

"I know it," returned his friend; "Ujarak told us about that. It is
because of that, that I have come at once to see him." Nunaga winced
here, for she had timidly hoped that Angut had come to see _her_! "I
would not," continued the visitor, "that Ujarak should be the first to
speak to him, for he will poison his ears."

"Yes, Ujarak is a dreadful liar," said Okiok solemnly, but without the
slightest touch of ill feeling.

"An awful liar," remarked Nuna softly.

Nunaga smiled, as though acquiescing in the sentiment, but said nothing.

Just as they gave utterance to this decided opinion as to the character
of the wizard, Red Rooney turned round, stretched himself, yawned, and
sat up.

CHAPTER SIX.

ANGUT AND ROONEY HOLD CONVERSE ON MANY THINGS.

At first Rooney did not observe that there was a visitor in the hut,
but, when his eyes alighted on him, he rose at once, for he felt that he
was in the presence of a man possessed of intelligence vastly superior
to that of the ordinary natives. It was not so much that Angut's
presence was commanding or noble, as that his grave expression, broad
forehead, and earnest gaze suggested the idea of a man of profound
thought.

The angekok who had been so graphically described to him by Okiok at
once recurred to Rooney's mind. Turning to his host, he said, with a
bland expression--

"I suppose this is your friend Angut, the angekok?"

"Yes," replied Okiok.

While the mysterious foreigner was speaking, Angut gazed at him with
looks and feelings of awe, but when he stepped forward, and frankly held
out his hand, the Eskimo looked puzzled. A whispered word from his
host, however, sufficed to explain. Falling in at once with the idea,
he grasped the offered hand, and gave it a squeeze of good-will that
almost caused the seaman to wince.

"I am glad to meet you," said