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Delighted with the novelty of their position the two paddled away with great vigour, and were soon a considerable distance from the shore. Then it occurred to Adolay that she would have some fun on her own account, and perhaps give her new friends a surprise. With this intent she floated the kayak and pushed it alongside of a flat stone in the water from which she could step into it.

It seems like nonsense," remarked Adolay more to herself than to her friend. "So curious!" soliloquised Nootka; "what one might expect from a seal if it tried to speak. Say that over again. I like to hear it." The perplexity on the face of the Indian maid deepened, and she shook her head, while the look of fun in that of the Eskimo maiden increased, and she smiled knowingly.

On beholding Cheenbuk standing there unbound, Idazoo stopped short, drew back, and gazed at him in alarm as well as surprise. "You have now seen the strange sight I spoke of, but you must not tell it in the lodges," said Adolay. Without answering her, Idazoo turned to fly, but Adolay grasped her by the wrist and held her tight at the same time motioning with her hand to Cheenbuk.

We have never been quite sure as to what Adolay did on this occasion whether she rubbed noses or chins or touched lips. All that we are sure of is that the operation was equivalent to a kiss, and that it was reciprocated heartily. "Didn't I tell you, mother, that she was funny? I'll explain to you what she said when we are alone; but Addi-lay is hungry now, and so am I. Let us feed, mother."

"That is good," returned the gallant Eskimo, "but Cheenbuk can leave his mother and his father too. If I go and live with the men-of-the-woods, will you be my squaw?" Adolay with downcast eyes gave no answer. It is said that silence gives consent.

The expedition, it will be seen, was somewhat of the nature of a forlorn hope, for drifting snow quickly obliterates tracks, and if the natives, when found, should turn out to be hostile, they would probably take from him his little possessions, if not also his life. But Nazinred's love for Adolay was too strong to admit of his allowing such thoughts to weigh with him.

As we have seen, she met her friend, not unexpectedly, on the way. "I will go with you," she said, "to see this strange thing, whatever it be. There may be danger; two are better than one, and, you know, I am not easily frightened." Poor Adolay was dismayed by this proposition, and hurried forward, but Idazoo kept pace with her.

After some palaver it was agreed that the execution of Cheenbuk should be postponed to the following day, and that a sentinel should be posted beside him during the night to make sure that he did not manage to undo his fastenings and escape. On hearing this decision arrived at, Adolay crept back into the bush and hastened to her mother's tent.

But when he had taken the edge off his appetite and it took a good deal of dental grinding to do that he looked across at Adolay with a genial expression and began to give his mother and sister a second, and much more graphic, edition of the speech which he had just delivered to the men.

Adolay pushed the craft into deeper water, stepped lightly in, and, giving a vigorous shove, sent it skimming out on the lake. Then the two dipped their paddles with a will, and shot over the water like an arrow.