ad quickly when I fell; but he looked down again, and I
crawled away."

In this the young Esquimau was mistaken. He knew little of the craft
and the quickness of the Red Indian, and easily fell into the snare of
his savage enemy, who, having been momentarily startled by the sudden
sound of the Esquimau approach, had endeavoured to throw him off his
guard, by pretending that although he heard the sound he thought nothing
of it. But no sooner had the Esquimau retired than he was closely
followed and watched by the whole party. They could have easily shot
him, but refrained from doing so, that he might unwittingly be their
guide to the habitations of his people. The rapid flight of his kayak
distanced his pursuers at first, but they made up for this during an
hour or two in the night, when the tired Esquimau allowed himself a
short season of repose to recruit his energies for the following day's
journey. During this period the Indians shot far ahead of him, and when
he arrived at the coast next day they were not much in the rear.

"And now, old man," said our young Esquimau, "it is time that I should
have my wife. If the Allat [see note 1] come here to-night, as I know
they will, I want to have a right to defend her, and carry her away when
we flee. Are you willing?"

The young giant said this with a degree of roughness and decision that
at any other time would have made the obstinate old grandfather refuse
point blank; but as there was every probability of having to flee for
his life ere the break of another day, and as his old heart trembled
within him at the thought of the dreaded guns of the Indians, he merely
shook his head and pondered a little.

"What will you give me?" he said, looking up.

The young man answered by drawing the axe from his belt and laying it on
the ground before him. The old man's eyes glistened with pleasure as he
surveyed the costly gift.

"Good; that will do. Take her and go."

A second bidding was not needed. The young man arose hastily, took his
blushing bride by the hand, and led her from the tent of her grandfather
towards his own. Here she set to work instantly to assist her husband
in hurriedly packing up their goods and chattels; and, immediately
afterwards, the little village became a perfect Babel of confusion, as
the alarmed inhabitants, on learning the threatened danger, prepared for
instant flight. In less than an hour the most of them were ready. The
men launch