the herd went away
to sea along with it.

After this unexpected and dangerous encounter was over, it was found
that several other animals were splashing about in a dying state, or
fast to seal-skin buoys which the men in the kayaks had managed to affix
to them. One of these was closely followed up by Anteek, who had very
cleverly launched his harpoon.

Aglootook was also seen to be struggling with a buoy, which he was
trying to haul in.

"Keep off!" he cried in great excitement when old Mangivik paddled to
his assistance; "I have lanced it twice. I need no help. See, the
water is full of blood!"

"That is my beast you are fighting," remarked Oolalik, as the oomiak
came up. "Look at the float: it is mine."

The magician looked crestfallen. He had hoped, probably, to kill the
wounded animal, secure it to his kayak, and cast loose the buoy, so that
no one could claim it. He made the most of the situation, however, by
asserting stoutly that if he had not lanced it well it would certainly
have broken loose from the buoy.

When the whole party was assembled on a large floe, cutting up and
stowing away the meat, some of the younger men began to comment on the
success of the hunt, and to congratulate themselves on the large supply
of fresh provisions which they had secured.

"Did I not tell you," said Aglootook, who appeared to be superintending
the workers, "that wonders would be done to-day?"

"You did," replied Cheenbuk gravely, "and one of the greatest wonders
was that you managed to lance a walrus!"

"It was indeed a great wonder," returned the magician, with a smile of
supreme satisfaction, "for I was not hunting at all at the time--only
looking on by way of encouraging the young men. It just came in my way
and I killed it, easily, in passing. If I had been really hunting, then
indeed," he added, with solemn emphasis, "you would have seen something
to astonish you."

"I have no doubt of that!" remarked Cheenbuk. At the same moment Anteek
went off into an explosion of laughter, which he accounted for by
pointing at a baby-walrus which had just put its head out of the water
with an expression of surprise on its innocent face that clearly
indicated its inability to understand what was going on.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

AN EXPEDITION AND A DISAPPOINTMENT.

A few days later the whole tribe arrived at their summer quarters, and
no civilised family of boys and girls ever arrived at their seaside home