ich involved fun.

"The kayak is indeed that of a Fire-spouter," said old Mangivik, shaking
his grey head, "but I don't think any Fire-spouter among them would be
such a fool as to run his head into our very jaws."

"I'm not ready to agree with you, old man," began Gartok.

"No; you're never ready to agree with any one!" growled Mangivik
parenthetically.

"For the Fire-spouters," continued Gartok, disregarding the growl, "are
afraid of nothing. Why should they be when they can spout wounds and
death so easily?"

Poor Gartok spoke feelingly, for his wounded leg had reduced his vigour
considerably, and he was yet only able to limp about with the aid of a
stick, while his lieutenant Ondikik was reduced to skin and bone by the
injury to his back.

Suddenly Mangivik became rather excited.

"Woman," he said earnestly to his wife, who stood beside him, "do you
see who steers the kayak? Look, your eyes are better than mine."

"No. I do not."

"Look again!" cried Anteek, pushing forward at that moment. "He is not
a Fire-spouter. He is _one of us_! But the one in front is a
Fire-spouter woman. Look at the man! Don't you know him?"

There was an intensity of suppressed fervour in the manner of the boy,
and an unwonted glitter in his eyes, which impressed every one who
noticed him.

"Yes, he is one of us," said Mangivik, shading his eyes with one hand,
"and he has stolen a Fire-spouting girl with her kayak!"

There was a look of pride in the face of the old man as he spoke, but it
was as nothing to the shout of triumph--the shriek of ecstasy--that
burst from Anteek as he uttered the word--"Cheenbuk!"

Just then a strong clear voice came rolling over the water to the shore,
and a roar of joy burst from the whole assemblage, for there was no
mistaking the voice of their comrade and best hunter. The hearts of
Nootka and her mother beat with no ordinary flutter as they heard the
familiar shout, and as for Anteek, he went into a paroxysm of delight,
which he sought to relieve by bounding and yelling till the canoe
touched the shore. Then, by a powerful effort, he subdued himself, and
turned his energies into a prolonged look of unutterable amazement at
Adolay.

Of course the eyes of the entire population were turned in the same
direction--for Eskimos do not count it rude to stare--so that the poor
girl felt somewhat abashed, and shrank a little behind her stout
protector.

Observing the action, Cheenbuk too