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This delight became not only utterable but obstreperous when Cheenbuk gravely took out the pipe which Adolay had given him and began to keep him company, at the same time bestowing a look a wink not yet being known to him on Anteek, who forthwith went off into uncontrollable laughter and was promptly hustled out of the crowd.
Of course the eyes of the entire population were turned in the same direction for Eskimos do not count it rude to stare so that the poor girl felt somewhat abashed, and shrank a little behind her stout protector. Observing the action, Cheenbuk took hold of her arm gently and led her towards his mother. "This is my mother, Adolay," he said; "she will take care of you."
Let us sit down now and make it out." Sitting down beside the cold hearth of the old home, father and child began to spell out Isquay's letter, while Cheenbuk looked on in admiring silence and listened. The letter bore a strong family likeness to that which had formerly been written or drawn by Adolay at Waruskeek, showing clearly whence the girl had derived her talent.
No one took the trouble to inquire the cause of this, for they knew, somehow, intuitively. As we have said more than once, it is unusual for North American Indians to demonstrate, but Isquay and Adolay were, like Nazinred, in advance of their times, and were in the habit of snapping their fingers in the hideous face of the Red Indian Mrs Grundy!
Of course the fair Nootka was beside them, for was not Oolalik one of the players? She would have scorned the insinuation that that was the reason. Nevertheless there is reason to believe that that had something to do with her presence. Our friend Adolay, however, was not there.
Then he bent his head suddenly, put his nose to the bag, and made a face expressive of supreme disgust. "Ho! and I've seen this too. I have tasted it, and after tasting it I was very miserable so miserable that I hope never to be as miserable again!" As he spoke he looked at Adolay with that extreme solemnity which was one of the characteristics of his face.
"Yes, you are doomed to die," continued Adolay, when the boys' howling had subsided, "and if you are to be tortured, we will all come to see how brave you are." As she said this she went close up to the captive, as if to make her words more emphatic, and shook her little fist in his face. Then in a low voice "You see the cliff behind me, with the dead tree below it?" "Yes."
They did not, however, dare to touch him, as the time had not yet arrived for actual torture. Running forward, Adolay, who was a favourite with the young people, drove them back. "Keep clear of him," she cried with a fierce glare in her eyes which was wonderfully realistic, considering that it was a mere piece of acting "I want to speak to him to terrify him to fill him with horror!"
Nods and smiles, however, pleasant in their way though they be, form a very imperfect means of intercourse between souls which wish to unite, and the perplexed expression was beginning again to steal over both their youthful countenances, when something in the nature of a happy thought seemed to strike the Indian girl, for a gleam as of sunlight flashed from her eyes and teeth, as she suddenly beat with her little fist three times on her own bosom, exclaiming, "Adolay!
Keep up heart, Adolay!" he added, turning to the weeping girl; "no evil can have come to our people, for they have left of their own will for a new camp; but I am perplexed, for this is the best place in all the Dogrib lands for a village, and we had lived long here in contentment." "But if that be so, there must be good reason for their having left," suggested Cheenbuk.
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