d looked at him in great astonishment, but Kalitan explained:

"Once, long ago, a Thlinkit girl laughed at a bear track in the snow and
said: 'Ugly animal must have made that track!' But a bear heard and was
angry. He seized the maiden and bore her to his den, and turned her into
a bear, and she dwelt with him, until one day her brother killed the bear
and she was freed. And from that day Thlinkits speak respectfully of
bears, and do not try to kill them, for they know not whether it is a
bear or a friend who hides within the shaggy skin."

The Tyee and Mr. Strong were greatly surprised when they came home to
see the huge carcass of Mr. Bruin, and they listened to the account of
Kalitan's bravery. The old chief said little, but he looked approvingly
at Kalitan, and said "Hyas kloshe" (very good), which unwonted praise
made the boy's face glow with pleasure. They had a great discussion as
to whom the bear really belonged. Ted had found him, Kalitan had shot
him first, and Chetwoof had killed him, so they decided to go shares.
Ted wanted the skin to take home, and thought it would make a splendid
rug for his mother's library, so his father paid Kalitan and Chetwoof
what each would have received as their share had the skin been sold to
a trader, and they all had bear meat for supper. Ted thought it finer
than any beefsteak he had ever eaten, and over it Kalitan smacked his
lips audibly.

CHAPTER V

A MONSTER OF THE DEEP

The big bear occupied considerable attention for several days. He had to
be carefully skinned and part of the meat dried for future use. Alaskans
never use salt for preserving meat. Indeed they seem to dislike salt very
much. It had taken Ted some time to learn to eat all his meat and fish
quite fresh, without a taste of salt, but he had grown to like it. There
is something in the sun and wind of Alaska which cures meat perfectly,
and the bear's meat was strung on sticks and dried in the sun so that
they might enjoy it for a long time.

It seemed as if the adventure with Bruin was enough to last the boys for
several days, for Ted's hand still pained him from the porcupine's
quills, and he felt tired and lazy. He lay by the camp-fire one afternoon
listening to Kalitan's tales of his island home, when his father came in
from a long tramp, and, looking at him a little anxiously, asked:

"What's the matter, son?"

"Nothing, I'm only tired," said Ted, but Kalitan said:

"Porcupine quills poiso