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"Come, Angut," said Rooney, descending from his throne or presidential chair, and taking the arm of his host; "I'm getting cold sitting up there. Let us have a walk together, and explain to me the meaning of this challenge." They went off in the direction of the sea-green cave, while Simek organised a game of kick-ball.
At last Simek, losing patience, made a bold rush in his kayak, and drove his lance deep into the huge creature's side. The act was greeted with a cheer or something like one, which was repeated when Red Rooney followed suit successfully. Okiok and his two sons were not slow to repeat the process.
The clumsy one rose with a somewhat confused look, but was not allowed to continue the battle. There was no such thing as fighting it out "to the bitter end" among these hilarious Eskimos. In fact, they were playing, not fighting. At this point Simek approached Rooney with a smiling countenance, and said
"Let us put Ippe in front," suggested Simek, with a twinkling eye; "he yells better than any of us." "'Specially when he's got the toothache," added Rooney. The object of this touch of pleasantry smiled in a good-humouredly imbecile manner. It was clear that his malady had been cured, at least for the time.
In the spirit-land Angut and Nunaga, Okiok, Nuna, Simek, and all the Innuit friends, when washed in the blood of Jesus, will again see the face of Ridroonee, and rejoice." This was the first time that Angut had distinctly declared his faith, and it afforded matter for profound satisfaction to Rooney, who grasped and warmly shook his friend's hand.
On the third day, the weather being still warm and calm, Angut, Simek, Okiok, and Rooney ascended, after their bear-breakfast, to the break-neck height from which that breakfast had been precipitated, for the purpose of taking a meteorological observation.
"Songs!" shouted Simek, with an excited look; "have you songs? can you sing?" "Well, after a fashion I can," returned Rooney, with a modest look, "though I don't pretend to be much of a dab at it. Are you fond o' singin'?" "Fond!" echoed Simek, with a gaze of enthusiasm, "I love it! I love it nearly as much as I love Pussimek; better, far, than I love blubber! Ho! sing to us, Ridroonee."
"Suddenly there was a heave that almost rent the ribs of the creature apart. Like an arrow from a bow, I was shot out upon the ice, and with a clap like thunder that walrus turned inside out! And then," said Simek, with glaring solemnity, "I awoke for it was all a dream!"
Anything you ever saw me do was mere walking creeping standing still, compared with what I did then on that occasion. You know I run fast?" It overtook me; it overturned me; it swallowed me!" Here Simek paused, as if to observe how many of them swallowed that.
Going to the extreme edge of the precipice, the bear sat down on his haunches, and hungrily contemplated the birds, which were now beyond his reach, twittering noisily as if to tantalise him. "I would that I had a spear," growled Okiok. "I would venture at him even with a big stick," said Simek. "My friends," said Rooney, with sudden animation, "listen to me.
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