d ever showed
himself clear-headed in discussion and debate. He applied himself with
renewed diligence to his work as a hunter, and remembering Memotas's
love for his household, strove to imitate him in his conduct toward his
mother and the younger members of his family. Disgusted and annoyed
that nothing but disappointment and suffering had come to him from
following the advice of Mookoomis, he shunned his society and would have
none of his counsel.

So passed the summer months, and when the winter came again there arose
in the breast of Oowikapun a longing desire, doubtless it had been there
before, to go and see Astumastao, the brave maiden who had been his real
friend, and had told him words which had done him more good than
anything else he had heard since he had parted from Memotas.

About her he had never spoken a word to anyone, but her bright eyes had
buried themselves in his heart, while her brave words had fixed
themselves in his memory.

So making up some excuse in reference to business with his relatives in
the distant village where dwelt the fair maiden, he prepared for the
journey. He arrayed himself in new and picturesque apparel, and with
his little outfit on a light sled, and his gun in his hand, and his axe
and knife in his belt, he set off for the village where he had made such
a sad fall, after all his resolves to have nothing more to do with devil
worship.

Is it surprising that, as he hurried along, he forgot much of his
sorrow, and was filled with pleasurable excitement at the prospect of
meeting Astumastao again? True, he would check himself and say he was
acting or thinking foolishly, for Astumastao might be married or the
bride selected, by her uncle, for some one else, for all he knew. Why,
then, should he so think about her? True, she had been very kind to him
in his sorrow, but then he had only met her once, and so why should he
be continually thinking about her? Thus he reasoned with himself, but
he kept hurrying along as never before, and he did not try very hard to
banish her from his heart and memory. And fortunate it was for
Astumastao that Oowikapun was on the way.

When Astumastao returned to the village after her conversation with
Oowikapun she found the people excited by his story of the fire burning
in his wigwam and the meal prepared and ready for him. How these things
could have been done without anyone finding it out, when they were all
so alert and quick-witted,