rom a hunting expedition the day before, and was
jealous of the interest aroused by Cheenbuk's arrival. Moreover,
Cheenbuk was one of the few men of the tribe whom he disliked, and
rather feared.

"What folly is this that I hear?" said Aglootook, as he frowned on the
assembly. "Are we to get up a war-party and put ourselves to all this
trouble for a woman--and a Fire-spouter woman!"

"It is not a war-party that I want," said Cheenbuk quietly. "It is a
peace-party, and such a strong one that there will be no fear of war. I
will conduct it, and, as I know the way, will go by myself unarmed to
the village of the men of the woods, tell them that I have brought back
their girl, and that a large party of my people are waiting at the mouth
of the river with plenty of skins and walrus teeth and other things to
trade with them."

"But does any one think they will believe that?" said Aglootook with
something of scorn in his looks and tone. "Will the Fire-spouters not
accept the girl and roast Cheenbuk, and then meet us with their spouters
and kill many of us, even though we should beat them at last?"

"It is my opinion there is something in that," remarked Mangivik.

"Besides," continued the magician, "what folly is it to talk of changing
our customs, which have never been changed since the First Man created
fish and animals! Are we not satisfied with whales and walruses, bears
and seals, deer and birds? Is not our snow igloe as comfortable as the
Fire-spouters' skin tent? What do we care for their ornaments or other
things? What does Cheenbuk know about the Great Maker of all things?
Has he seen him? Has he talked with him? If there is such a Maker, did
he not place us here, and surround us with all the things that we need,
and intend us to remain here? Why should we go and look for better
things? If he had thought that woods and lakes and rivers had been good
for us, would he not have made these things here for us, so that we
should have no need to go far away to seek for them--"

"Ay, and if Aglootook is right," interrupted Cheenbuk in a calm but firm
voice, "why should we go far away to seek the bear, the walrus, and the
seal? Why does Aglootook go hunting at all? If the Great Maker thought
these things good for us, would he not have made them to walk up to our
igloes and ask to be killed and eaten? Why should they even do that?
why not walk straight down our throats and save all trouble? Is it not
rath