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I knew there were big deeds and wild doings behind that sigh, so I haled him into a corner, between a roulette outfit and a poker layout, and waited for his tongue to thaw. "Had one objection to Moosu," he began, cocking his head meditatively "one objection, and only one.
"But I had plans of my own, seeing that not only the tobacco but the flour and molasses were near gone. And further, I felt it my duty to prove the white man's wisdom and bring sore distress to Moosu, who had waxed high-stomached, what of the power I had given him. So that night I went to my meat caches and toiled mightily, and it was noted next day that all the dogs of the village were lazy.
Moosu tried to protest at this, for never had we permitted more than a handful to be drunk at a time; but they cried, 'KLOSHE! KLOSHE! and made festival before my door. And while they waxed uproarious without, as the liquor went to their heads, I held council within with Angeit and the faithful ones. I set them the tasks they were to do, and put into their mouths the words they were to say.
"And Moosu groaned, and when the trade was made and the shaman departed, he upbraided me: 'Now, because of thy madness are we, indeed, lost! Neewak maketh hooch on his own account, and when the time is ripe, he will command the people to drink of no hooch but his hooch. And in this way are we undone, and our goods worthless, and our igloo mean, and the bed of Moosu cold and empty!
Or his hooch be hooch when it would not sour? "After that our wealth flowed in without let or hindrance. Furs we had without number, and the fancy-work of the women, all of the chief's tea, and no end of meat. One day Moosu retold for my benefit, and sadly mangled, the story of Joseph in Egypt, but from it I got an idea, and soon I had half the tribe at work building me great meat caches.
"Then came Angeit: 'Great trouble hath befallen Moosu, O master, for I have whispered to advantage, till the people came to Moosu, saying they were hungry and demanding the fulfilment of prophecy. And there was a loud shout of "Itlwillie! Itlwillie!" And he bade the men open them and be fed. And lo, the caches were empty. There was no meat.
"'Call me "brother," Moosu call me "brother," I chided, lifting him to his feet with the toe of my moccasin. 'Wilt thou evermore obey? "'Yea, master, he whimpered, 'evermore. "'Then dispose thy body, so, across the sled, I shifted the dogwhip to my right hand. 'And direct thy face downwards, toward the snow.
And the shaman owneth a caddy of "Star" and two buckets of prime smoking. And what have we? Nothing! Nothing! "But I was stunned by the word he brought of the tobacco, and made no answer. "And Moosu, what of his own desire, broke silence: 'And there be Tukeliketa, daughter of a big hunter and wealthy man. A likely girl. Indeed, a very nice girl.
And because of the things I have related do I make abdication and give my chiefship to Moosu, who alone knoweth how ye may be fed in this day when there be no meat in the land. "At this there was a great clapping of hands, and the people cried, 'KLOSHE! KLOSHE! which means 'good. I had seen the wonder-worry in Moosu's eyes; for he could not understand, and was fearful of my white man's wisdom.
And of all they hunted I got the lion's share and stored it away. Nor was Moosu idle. He made himself a pack of cards from birch bark, and taught Neewak the way to play seven-up. He also inveigled the father of Tukeliketa into the game. And one day he married the maiden, and the next day he moved into the shaman's house, which was the finest in the village.
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