bits of ivory. He seemed not in the least alarmed, but, on
the contrary, much disposed to be friendly.

"_Karosha!_" called out John to him. "All right, all right, all right!"

John seemed to pick up easily the expressions which the Aleuts used and
understood.

Hesitatingly, but still smiling, the boy joined them, and walked with
them over toward the bear hides, where he stood looking down. At last,
as they resumed their work at the hides, he himself squatted down, and
taking out his own knife--a mere bit of steel bound around at the end
with rags and hide for a handle--he also began to scrape away. So much
greater was his skill than theirs that at last he smiled at their
awkwardness. For the time he made no attempt at any kind of speech, and
answered no questions in regard to his people. At last, as Jesse
departed to the top of the sea-wall to learn what was going on along the
beach, he began to jabber and attempt to make some signs. John guessed
that he meant to say that in a couple of days the whale would come
ashore; that then his people would build fires and eat.

"Maybe he'd like to eat a little himself," concluded John. "Suppose we
try him on some bear meat."

Their offer seemed very acceptable to the Aleut boy, who in a very
matter-of-fact way began to hunt around in the grass for fuel and to
prepare to make a fire, which latter he did with skilful use of one of
the few matches which he kept dry in a membrane pouch in an inner
pocket.

"He's camped out before," said Rob. "It looks as though he had adopted
us. Maybe he likes the look of our meat-rack better than he does the
prospect of waiting over there for the whale to come ashore."

The young Aleut put his pieces of bear meat on sticks, which he stuck up
near the fire; and while they were broiling he himself ran over toward
the beach, presently reappearing with some dark-looking stuff in his
hands, which he offered his friends, making signs that it was good to
eat.

"Smoked breast of wild goose," commented John, smacking his lips. "It's
good, too. I wouldn't mind having some more of that."

Whether or not the boy understood it was impossible to say; but all at
once he began to flop his arms up and down, quacking and honking in
imitation of wild fowl. He pointed to a spot far up at the head of the
lagoon, and then, picking up his bunch of thongs and ivory balls,
whirled them around his head.

Rob's eyes kindled.

"We can't afford to use rifle ammu