und him and pointing in
all directions. "Then, when the young are strong and the cold season
begins, they spread the wing and go away there--to _every_ place--all
round."

"Anders," said Leo impressively, "do you know I think we have actually
arrived at the immediate region of the North Pole! What the chief says
almost settles the question. This, you see, must be the warmest place
in the Polar regions; the central spot around the Pole to which
migratory birds flock from the south. If voyagers, crossing the Arctic
circle at _all_ parts, have observed these birds ever flying _north_, it
follows that they _must_ have some meeting-place near the Pole, where
they breed and from which they depart in autumn. Well, according to
Grabantak, _this_ is the meeting-place, therefore _this_ must be near
the Pole! How I wish uncle were here!"

Leo had been more than half soliloquising; he now looked up and burst
into a laugh, for the interpreter was gazing at him with an expression
of blank stupidity.

"You's kite right, Missr Lo," he said at last, with a meek smile, "kite
right, no doubt; only you's too clibber for _me_."

"Well, Anders, I'll try not to be quite so clibber in future; but ask
Grabantak if he will go with me on an expedition among these islands. I
want very much to examine them all."

"Examine them all!" repeated the chief with emphasis when this was
translated; "tell the young Kablunet with the hard fist, that the
sunless time would come and go, and the sun-season would come again,
before he could go over half my lands. Besides, I have more important
work to do. I must first go to Poloeland, to kill and burn and destroy.
After that I will travel with Hardfist."

Hardfist, as the chief had styled him in reference to his late
pugilistic achievements, felt strongly inclined to use his fists on
Grabantak's skull when he mentioned his sanguinary intentions, but
recalling Alf's oft-quoted words, "Discretion is the better part of
valour," he restrained himself. He also entered into a long argument
with the savage, in the hope of converting him to peace principles, but
of course in vain. The chief was thoroughly bent on destroying his
enemies.

Then, in a state of almost desperate anxiety, Leo sought to turn him
from his purpose by telling him about God the Father, and the Prince of
Peace, and, pulling out his Bible, began to read and make Anders
interpret such passages of the Word as bore most directly on