energy for a
considerable time, each endeavouring to throw the other, while the sweat
poured down their faces and their breathing came in fitful gasps.

At length there was a pause in the conflict. It seemed as if they had
stopped by mutual consent to recover breath for a final effort.

As they glared into each other's faces, each felt surprised to see
little or nothing of the evidence of that deadly hatred which usually
characterises implacable foes. Suddenly Cheenbuk relaxed his grip of
the gun and stepped back a pace. In so doing he put himself, to some
extent at least, at the mercy of his adversary. With quick perception
the Indian recognised the fact. He drew himself up and dropped the gun
on the ground.

"Why should we fight? The hunting-grounds are wide enough!" he said, in
the grave sententious tones peculiar to his race.

"That is just what came to my thought when I let go," answered the more
matter-of-fact Eskimo.

"Let us part, then, as friends," returned the red man, "and let us do it
in the manner of the pale-faced traders."

He extended his right hand as he spoke. Cheenbuk, who had heard a
rumour of the white man's customs--probably from men of his race who had
met with the crews of whalers--advanced, grasped the extended hand, and
shook it in a way that might have done credit to any Englishman! He
smiled at the same time with a slightly humorous expression, but the
other maintained his solemnity. Fun is not a prominent characteristic
of the red man.

"But there is no need that we should part before feeding," said the
Eskimo.

"Waugh!" replied the Indian, by which it is to be presumed he signified
assent.

The reconciled foes being both adepts in the art of cookery, and--one of
them at least--in woodcraft, it was not long before a large fire was
blazing under a convenient fir-tree, and the grey goose soon hissed
pleasantly in front of it. They were a quiet and self-contained couple,
however, and went about their work in profound silence. Not that they
lacked ideas or language--for each, being naturally a good linguist, had
somehow acquired a smattering of the other's tongue,--but they resembled
each other in their disinclination to talk without having something
particular to say, and in their inclination to quietness and sobriety of
demeanour.

Here, however, the resemblance ceased, for while the Eskimo was free and
easy, ready to learn and to sympathise, and quick to see and appre