en Rooney chanced to awake. As
he lay with his face to the foe, the _tableau vivant_ met his gaze the
instant he opened his eyes. Rooney was quick-witted, and had great
power of self-command. He reclosed the eyes at once, and then, through
the merest chink between the lids, continued to watch the scene. But
the wink had been observed. It caused an abrupt stoppage of the
pantomime, and an intense glare of expectancy.

This was too much for Rooney. He threw up his arms, and gave way to a
violent explosion of loud and hearty laughter.

If a bomb-shell had burst among the spectators, it could scarcely have
caused greater consternation. A panic ensued. Incontinently the mother
of Ippegoo plunged head first into the tunnel. The mother of Arbalik
followed, overtook her friend, tried to pass, and stuck fast. The
others, dashing in, sought to force them through, but only rammed them
tighter. Seeing that egress was impossible, those in rear crouched
against the furthest wall and turned looks of horror on the Kablunet,
who they thought had suddenly gone mad. But observing that Nuna and her
daughter did not share their alarm, they soon recovered, and when Rooney
at last sat up and began to look grave, they evidently felt somewhat
ashamed of themselves. Pussimek at last seized the mother of Ippegoo by
the legs, and with a strong pull extracted her from the tunnel. Issek,
being thus set free, quickly made her exit. The rest followed by
degrees, until Rooney was left with Nuna and her daughter.

"Your friends have had a fright," remarked the sailor.

"They are easily frightened. Are you hungry?"

"Yes; I feel as if I could eat a white bear raw."

"So I expected," returned the little woman, with a laugh, as she placed
a platter of broiled meat before her guest, who at once set to work.

Let us now return to Ippegoo. Having borrowed a sledge, he had driven
off to the appointed place of rendezvous, before the arrival of Rooney
and Angut, as fast as the team could take him. Arrived there, he found
Ujarak awaiting him.

"You have failed," said the wizard gravely.

"Yes, because Nunaga had left with her father and mother, and is now in
the village. So is the Kablunet."

Whatever Ujarak might have felt, he took good care that his countenance
should not betray him. Indeed this capacity to conceal his feelings
under a calm exterior constituted a large element of the power which he
had obtained over his fellows.