him--thank God! and I see Anders too, quite plainly, and
Oblooria!"

"Are they bound hand and foot?" demanded Amalatok, savagely.

"No, they are as free as you are. And the Eskimos are unarmed,
apparently."

"Ha! that is their deceit," growled the chief. "The Flatlanders were
always sly; but they shall not deceive us. Braves, get ready your
spears!"

"May it not be that Leo has influenced them peacefully, my father?"
suggested Chingatok.

"Not so, my son," said the chief savagely. "Grabantak was always sly as
a white fox, fierce as a walrus, mean as a wolf, greedy as a black gull,
contemptible as--"

The catalogue of Grabantak's vices was cut short by the voice of Teyma
coming loud and strong over the sea.

"If the men of Poloe come as friends, let them land. The men of
Flatland are about to feed, and will share their supper. If the men of
Poloe come as foes, still I say let them land. The braves of Flatland
have sharpened their spears!"

Teyma threw up both hands as he finished, and all his host followed
suit.

For a moment or two the Poloese hesitated. They still feared deception.
Then the voice of Leo was heard loud and clear.

"Why do you hesitate? come on, uncle, supper's getting cold. We've been
waiting for you a long time, and are all very hungry!"

This was received with a shout of laughter by the Englishmen, high above
which rose a wild cheer of joy from Benjy. Amalatok swallowed his
warlike spirit, laid aside his spear, and seized his paddle. Chingatok
gave the signal to advance, and, a few minutes later, those warriors of
the north--those fierce savages who, probably for centuries, had been
sworn hereditary foes--were seated round the igloe-lamps, amicably
smearing their fingers and faces with fat, as they feasted together on
chops of the walrus and cutlets of the polar bear.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THE GREAT DISCOVERY.

Friendly relations having been established between the Flatlanders and
the Poloese, both nations turned their attention to the arts of peace.

Among other things, Captain Vane and his party devoted themselves once
more, with renewed energy, to the pursuit of discovery and scientific
investigation. An expedition was planned to _Great Isle_, not now for
the purpose of consulting Makitok, the oracle, as to the best time for
going to war, but to gratify the wishes of Captain Vane, who had the
strongest reason for believing that he was in the immediate
neighbou