ne of the stoutest of the
Eskimos. He shot down the stream at a rate which soon began to leave
the Indians behind.

Seeing this, Magadar laid aside his paddle for a moment, raised his gun
to his shoulder, and fired.

Again were the echoes and the denizens of the woods disturbed, and two
other Indians fired, thus rendering confusion worse confounded. Their
aims were not good, however, and Raventik was interested and surprised--
though not alarmed--by the whizzing sounds that seemed close to his
ears, and the little splashes in the water just ahead of him.
Fortunately a bend in the river here concealed him for some time from
the Indians, and when they once more came in sight of him he was almost
out of range.

In the meantime his comrades, amazed by the strange sounds that burst on
their ears, put hastily on shore, carried their kayaks into the bushes,
and climbed to the summit of a rising ground, with the double purpose of
observing the surrounding country and of making it a place of defence if
need be.

"Raventik must have found our enemies," said Gartok to Ondikik, his
lieutenant, as he led his men up the slope.

"That is certain," returned Ondikik, "and from the noise they are
making, I think the Fire-spouters are many. But this is a good place to
fight them."

"Yes, we will wait here," said Gartok.

As he spoke Raventik was seen sweeping into view from behind a point in
the middle of the most rapid part of the river, and plying his long
paddle with the intense energy of one whose life depends on his
exertions. The Eskimos on the knoll gazed in breathless anxiety. A few
minutes later the canoe of Magadar swept into view.

"The Fire-spouters!" exclaimed Ondikik.

"Three men in it!" cried Gartok. Then, as one after another of the
canoes came into view, "Four! six! ten of them, and three men in each!"

"And all with fire-spouters!" gasped the lieutenant.

"Come," exclaimed Gartok, "it is time for us to go!"

The Eskimos were by no means cowardly, but when they saw that the
approaching foe was double their number, and reflected that there might
be more behind them, all armed with guns, it was no wonder that they
bethought themselves of retreat. To do them full credit, they did not
move until their leader gave the word--then they sprang down the
hillock, and in three minutes more were out in their kayaks making for
the mouth of the river at their utmost speed.

On seeing this the Indians uttered a w