he bows and arrows which were hanging on the
walls and, once outside, aimed at the flying mink; but as they pulled
the bows broke in their paws, so they threw them away, and bounded to
the shore, with all their speed, to the place where their canoes were
drawn up on the beach.

Now, although the mink could not run as fast as the wolves, he had a
good start, and was already afloat when the swiftest among them threw
themselves into the nearest canoe. They pushed off, but as they dipped
the paddles into the water, they snapped as the bows had done, and were
quite useless.

'I know where there are some new ones,' cried a young fellow, leaping
on shore and rushing to a little cave at the back of the beach. And
the mink's heart smote him when he heard, for he had not known of this
secret store.

After a long chase the wolves managed to surround their prey, and the
mink, seeing it was no good resisting any more, gave himself up. Some of
the elder wolves brought out some cedar bands, which they always carried
wound round their bodies, but the mink laughed scornfully at the sight
of them.

'Why I could snap those in a moment,' said he; 'if you want to make sure
that I cannot escape, better take a line of kelp and bind me with that.'

'You are right,' answered the grandfather; 'your wisdom is greater than
ours.' And he bade his servants gather enough kelp from the rocks to
make a line, as they had brought none with them.

'While the line is being made you might as well let me have one last
dance,' remarked the mink. And the wolves replied: 'Very good, you
may have your dance; perhaps it may amuse us as well as you.' So they
brought two canoes and placed them one beside the other. The mink stood
up on his hind legs and began to dance, first in one canoe and then
in the other; and so graceful was he, that the wolves forgot they were
going to put him to death, and howled with pleasure.

'Pull the canoes a little apart; they are too close for this new dance,'
he said, pausing for a moment. And the wolves separated them while he
gave a series of little springs, sometime pirouetting while he stood
with one foot on the prow of both. 'Now nearer, now further apart,' he
would cry as the dance went on. 'No! further still.' And springing into
the air, amidst howls of applause, he came down head-foremost, and dived
to the bottom. And through the wolves, whose howls had now changed into
those of rage, sought him everywhere, they never