ar distant. As soon as the fastenings were arranged he prepared to
continue the flight.
"Where do you take us to?" asked Kabelaw, in a tone of humility which
was very foreign to her nature.
"You shall know that in time," was the stern reply.
Nunaga was too much frightened to speak, but little Tumbler was not.
"Bad--bad man!" he exclaimed, with a fierce look that caused the wizard
for a moment to smile grimly.
Little Pussi was so horrified at the reckless presumption of the remark,
that she hid her face in Nunaga's lap and did not venture to look up for
some time.
Getting on the sledge without another word, the wizard gave a hint to
the dogs which was so unmistakable that they sprang up and resumed their
journey at full gallop. Slowly the sun went down, and sea and berg and
snow-clad cliff grew grey in the light of departing day. Still the
panting team sped on over the frozen sea. Soon it became too dark to
travel with safety. The pace was slackened. The run became a canter,
then a trot, and then a walk. At last the driver stopped, jumped off
the sledge, and ordered the women to get out the seal and feed the dogs.
He also gave them permission to help themselves, but as there was no
lamp or fire, it was evident that he meant them to eat their supper raw.
Leaving them while thus engaged, he walked away out of sight.
"I won't have raw seal," said Tumbler, in that tone of petulant resolve
which tells of spoilt-childism.
"An' me won't too," said Pussi, profiting by example.
"But there's nothing else," said Nunaga, gently.
"Yes, there is. I have got some cold seal in my boots--from this
morning's breakfast," said Kabelaw, extracting a goodly-sized morsel; "I
never go on a journey, however short, without a bit of cooked meat."
Lest the reader should be perplexed here, we may explain that some
Eskimo ladies often make the wide tops of their long sealskin boots do
duty for pockets.
The party was still engaged in discussing the delicacy referred to, and
commenting in pitiable tones on their situation, when Ujarak returned,
bade them resume their places, jumped on the sledge, and continued to
advance. In half an hour the moon rose in a clear sky. The stars shone
brightly, and to add to the beauty of the scene, the aurora borealis
played and shot about vividly overhead, enabling them to resume a rapid
gallop.
It was not till the night was far advanced, and his dogs were nearly
worn-out, and f
|