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"It's a pity you didn't arrive half an hour sooner, however," said Rooney, "for poor Angut has gone off with a party towards the hills, in a state of wild despair, to carry on the search in that direction. But you look anxious, boy; what more have you to tell?" In a few rapidly-spoken words Ermigit told of Kannoa's danger. Instant action was of course taken.
They were now about to test their workmanship and practise their drill. "Do they leak?" shouted Okiok, as the lads pushed off. "Not more than I can soak up," replied Norrak, looking back with a laugh. "Only a little," cried Ermigit, "and hoh! the water is still very cold." "Paddle hard, and you'll soon warm it," cried Rooney.
Truer than the needle to the pole the weapon went, carrying its line with it, and sank deep into the shoulder of the seal. Ermigit, meanwhile, had made for the shore, got a lance thrown to him by the excited Okiok, received an encouraging nod from Rooney with an English recommendation to "go it," and was off again to render aid.
Usually the evening meal was a noisy, hilarious festival, at which Okiok and Norrak and Ermigit were wont to relate the various incidents of the day's hunt, with more or less of exaggeration, not unmingled with fun, and only a little of that shameless boasting which is too strong a characteristic of the North American Indian.
"Attack it," cried Arbalik. "Kill it," exclaimed Norrak. "And eat it," said Ermigit. "What will you attack it with?" asked Simek in a slightly contemptuous tone "with your fingernails? If so, you had better send Sigokow to do battle, for she could beat the three of you." The youths stood abashed. "We have no spears," said Simek, "and knives are useless. Bad luck follows us."
That day Ermigit had managed to spear a huge raven. Rooney, being something of a naturalist, had skinned it, and it was while little Tumbler was gazing at him in open-eyed admiration that the thought struck him Tumbler being very small and the raven very large. "Come," said he, seizing the child with whom he was by that time on the most intimate terms of affection "Come, I'll dress you up."
"There is danger somewhere I know not where or what; but I must leave you. Ermigit will take good care of Ridroonee till I come again." "Nay, if there is danger anywhere I will share it," returned Rooney, rising and stretching himself; "I am already twice the man I was with all this resting and feeding."
"He did," cried Okiok, with the sudden animation of one who has conceived an idea. "Run, Arbalik, Ippegoo, Ermigit, Norrak, and seek for the kayak." The youths named ran off to obey, with the alacrity of well-trained children, and in half an hour returned in triumph with the kayak on their shoulders.
A better full-dress coat was never more quickly manufactured. Ermigit went into convulsions of laughter over it, and the sailor, charmed with his work, kept up a running commentary in mingled English and Eskimo. "Splendid!" he cried; "the best slop-shop in Portsmouth couldn't match it! Cap and coat all in one! The fit perfect and what a magnificent tail!"
No sooner, therefore, did Ermigit find himself in the water, head downwards, than, with a rapid and peculiar action of the paddle, he sent himself quite round and up on the other side into the right position dripping, however, like a seal emerging from the sea. He lost the race, as a matter of course. Norrak, after touching the beach, returned to Ermigit, laughing at his mishap.
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