n her good-humour and cheerfulness, and to stop her fun. Her life
is a hard one. She has few relations to care for her. She is very old,
and must soon grow feeble, and then--"

"And then?" said Rooney, as the other paused.

"Then she knows not what follows death--who does know?--and she does not
believe in the nonsense that our people invent. It is a great mystery."

The Eskimo said the last words in a low voice and with a wistful gaze,
as if he were rather communing with himself than conversing with his
friend. Rooney felt perplexed. The thoughts of Angut were often too
profound for him. Not knowing what to say, he changed the subject by
mentioning the object of his visit.

At once Angut turned, and gave undivided attention to the subject, while
the seaman described his recent conversation with Okiok. As he
concluded, a peculiar look flitted across Angut's countenance.

"I guess his reason," he said.

"Yes; what may it be, think you?"

"He fears to meet Okiok in a singing duel."

Rooney laughed. "Well, you know best," he said; "I daresay you are
right. Okiok is a sharp fellow, and Ujarak is but a blundering booby
after--"

A low chuckle in the region of the lamp attracted their attention at
this point. They looked quickly at Kannoa, but that ancient's face was
absolutely owlish in its gravity, and her little black eyes peered into
her pot with a look of intense inquiry that was almost philosophic.
Resuming their belief that she was as deaf as a post, or an iceberg,
Rooney and Angut proceeded to discuss Ujarak and his probable plans
without any regard to her. After having talked the matter over for some
time, Angut shook his head, and said that Ujarak must be closely
watched.

"More than that," said Rooney, with decision; "he must be stultified."

The seaman's rendering of the word "stultified" into Eskimo was curious,
and cannot easily be explained, but it was well understood by Angut, and
apparently by Kannoa, for another chuckle came just then from the
culinary department. Again the two men glanced at the old woman
inquiringly, and again were they baffled by that look of owlish
intensity at the stewing meat.

"She hears," whispered Rooney.

"Impossible," replied Angut; "a dead seal is not much deafer."

Continuing the conversation, the seaman explained how he thought it
possible to stultify the wizard, by discrediting him in the eyes of his
own people--by foiling him with his own weapons