ry the bacon
had legs, and could run about, and one had been heard to say he had
travelled in a thing like a steamboat, only it could go without water
under it--ran over the dry land on strips of iron--ran quicker than any
steamer! Oh, they were awful liars. But these two, who pretended they'd
dragged a sled all the way from Holy Cross, they were the biggest liars
of all. Just let them tell that yarn to Unookuk. They all laughed at
this, and the name ran round the room.

"Who is Unookuk?"

"Him guide."

"Him know."

"Where is him?" asked the Boy.

"Him sick."

But there was whispering and consultation. This was evidently a case
for the expert. Two boys ran out, and the native talk went on,
unintelligible save for the fact that it centred round Unookuk. In a
few minutes the boys came back with a tall, fine-looking native, about
sixty years old, walking lame, and leaning on a stick. The semicircle
opened to admit him. He limped over to the strangers, and stood looking
at them gravely, modestly, but with careful scrutiny.

The Boy held out his hand.

"How do you do?"

"How do you do?" echoed the new-comer, and he also shook hands with the
Colonel before he sat down.

"Are you Unookuk?"

"Yes. How far you come?"

Peetka said something rude, before the strangers had time to answer,
and all the room went into titters. But Unookuk listened with dignity
while the Colonel repeated briefly the story already told. Plainly it
stumped Unookuk.

"Come from Anvik?" he repeated.

"Yes; stayed with Mr. Benham."

"Oh, Benham!" The trader's familiar name ran round the room with
obvious effect. "It is good to have A. C. Agent for friend," said
Unookuk guardedly. "Everybody know Benham."

"He is not A. C. Agent much longer," volunteered the Boy.

"That so?"

"No; he will go 'on his own' after the new agent gets in this spring."

"It is true," answered Unookuk gravely, for the first time a little
impressed, for this news was not yet common property. Still, they could
have heard it from some passer with a dog-team. The Boy spoke of Holy
Cross, and Unookuk's grave unbelief was painted on every feature.

"It was good you get to Holy Cross before the big storm," he said, with
a faint smile of tolerance for the white man's tall story. But Peetka
laughed aloud.

"What good English you speak!" said the Boy, determined to make friends
with the most intelligent-appearing native he had seen.

"Me; I am Kurilla!" said Un