med of myself, and then I know so
little. O, that we had a missionary among us with the book of heaven,
as they have at Norway House and elsewhere, that we might learn more
about the way, and be brave and courageous all the time!"

This despairing cry is the voice of millions dissatisfied with the devil
dances and worship of idols. The call is for those who can tell them
where soul comfort can be found, and a sweet assurance brought into
their hearts that they are in the right way.

Hardly knowing what answer to make, but now interested in the woman as
never in one before, he asked: "What name does your uncle call you?"
Wishing to find out her name he put it this way, as it is considered the
height of rudeness to ask a person her name. When several persons are
together, and the name of one is desired by one of the company, the plan
is always to ask some third person for the desired information.
"Astumastao," she replied. And then feeling with her keen womanly
instincts that the time had come when the long interview should end, she
quickly threw her game, which had been dropped on the ground, over her
shoulder again, and gliding by him, soon disappeared in the forest
trail.

CHAPTER SIX.

HUNTING WILD GEESE.

To Oowikapun this interview was of great value, and while he could not
but feel a certain amount of humiliation at the cowardice he had been
forced to admit, and felt also that it was a new experience to be thus
talked to by a woman, yet his conscience told him that she was right and
he deserved the reproofs she had given. So with something more to think
about, he resumed his onward journey, and ere he stopped that night and
made his little camp he was many miles nearer his home.

As he sat there by his cheery fire, while all around him stretched the
great wild forest, he tried to think over some of the new and strange
adventures through which he had passed. With starring vividness they
came before him, and above all the brave words of the maiden Astumastao
seemed to ring in his ears. Then the consciousness that he who had been
trying to make himself and others believe that he was so brave was
really so cowardly took hold of him, and so depressed him that he could
only sit with bowed head and burdened heart, and say within himself that
he was very weak and foolish.

The stars shone out in that brilliant northern sky, and the aurora
danced and blazed and scintillated, meteors flashed across the hea