his
place, the which we may not have. Ah, master, never has my nose lied to
me, and I have followed it to secret caches and among the fur-bales of
the igloos. Good provender did these people extort from the poor
whalemen, and this provender has wandered into few hands. The woman
Ipsukuk, who dwelleth in the far end of the village next she igloo of the
chief, possesseth much flour and sugar, and even have my eyes told me of
molasses smeared on her face. And in the igloo of Tummasook, the chief,
there be tea--have I not seen the old pig guzzling? And the shaman
owneth a caddy of "Star" and two buckets of prime smoking. And what have
we? Nothing! Nothing!'

"But I was stunned by the word he brought of the tobacco, and made no
answer.

"And Moosu, what of his own desire, broke silence: 'And there be
Tukeliketa, daughter of a big hunter and wealthy man. A likely girl.
Indeed, a very nice girl.'

"I figured hard during the night while Moosu snored, for I could not bear
the thought of the tobacco so near which I could not smoke. True, as he
had said, we had nothing. But the way became clear to me, and in the
morning I said to him: 'Go thou cunningly abroad, after thy fashion, and
procure me some sort of bone, crooked like a gooseneck, and hollow. Also,
walk humbly, but have eyes awake to the lay of pots and pans and cooking
contrivances. And remember, mine is the white man's wisdom, and do what
I have bid you, with sureness and despatch.'

"While he was away I placed the whale-oil cooking lamp in the middle of
the igloo, and moved the mangy sleeping furs back that I might have room.
Then I took apart his gun and put the barrel by handy, and afterwards
braided many wicks from the cotton that the women gather wild in the
summer. When he came back, it was with the bone I had commanded, and
with news that in the igloo of Tummasook there was a five-gallon kerosene
can and a big copper kettle. So I said he had done well and we would
tarry through the day. And when midnight was near I made harangue to
him.

"'This chief, this Tummasook, hath a copper kettle, likewise a kerosene
can.' I put a rock, smooth and wave-washed, in Moosu's hand. 'The camp
is hushed and the stars are winking. Go thou, creep into the chief's
igloo softly, and smite him thus upon the belly, and hard. And let the
meat and good grub of the days to come put strength into thine arm. There
will be uproar and outcry, and the village will co