United States or Philippines ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"But tell me, before I speak more, is Rinka dead?" "No, she is getting well." "That is good," he continued, in a tone of satisfaction. "Old Uleeta, I doubt not, told you of the fight I had with the Fire-spouters?" "She did," cried Anteek, with delight, "and how you gave them sore hearts!" "H'm! they gave me a sore heart too; but I don't care now!
It had been arranged that Cheenbuk and his friends Oolalik and Anteek should keep together in their kayaks, accompanied by an oomiak to carry the game. This woman's boat was to be manned, so to speak, by young Uleeta, Cowlik, and two other girls. Adolay had been offered a place in it, but she preferred going in her own bark canoe, with the management of which she was familiar.
Old and young Uleeta were looking on with great delight, so was Cowlik the easy-going, and Rinka the sympathetic; and it was noticeable that, every now and then, the latter distracted her mind from the play in order to see that the bearskin did not slip off the shoulders of Ondikik, and to replace it if it did.
Old Uleeta was the captain of another of the oomiaks, and it was observed that Aglootook cast longing and frequent glances in her direction, believing, no doubt, that a place by her side would be an easier berth than in his own kayak, with nothing but the strength of his own lazy arm to urge it on; but as there was no guest in this case to justify the breach of ancient custom on the ground of hospitality, he felt that manhood required him to stay where he was.
"No?" exclaimed Raventik in surprise. You see, he had never in his life been wounded or ill, and could not understand the possibility of refusing food, except when too full of it. Being a sympathetic soul, however, he pressed it on the invalids, but received replies so very discouraging that he was induced to forbear. Old Uleeta turned out to be a more intelligent, it not more kindly, nurse.
No," he continued, turning away from the angry young man with cool contempt, "old Uleeta has no son." Gartok was so taken aback with this behaviour of Oolalik, who was recognised as one of the gentlest and most peacefully disposed of the tribe, that he stood gaping for a moment in surprise.
If the Indian should get the manipulation over before the oomiak was out of range, any of the women, as well as himself, might be killed. "No," he cried, giving the boat a mighty shove that sent it out to sea like an arrow, "be off! paddle! for life! I will stop him!" Old Uleeta did not hesitate. She was accustomed to obedience even when there were no fire-spouters astern.
They call him Ondikik, and he would hev kicked altogether if it had not been for the nursin' so they say o' that nice little craitur they call Rinka, or something like that. The other case is that lively stripling Anteek. He's scarcely more than a boy yet, but young Uleeta, as they call the girl, seems to think that no great objection.
"What right had you to go without your fire-spouters to attack them?" demanded old Uleeta, somewhat maliciously. Gartok, who was destitute neither of intelligence nor of humour, laughed, but the laugh slid into a most emphatic "hoi!" as his mother gave the leg a wrench. "Softly, mother, softly! Treat me as you did when I was so big," he exclaimed, indicating about one foot six between his hands.
For instance, there's the young brave Alizay, an' that pleasant craitur Idazoo, that's thinkin' about marriage just now; an' there's Magadar and Cowlik, and Oolalik and Nootka, and Ondikik and Rinka, and Anteek and young Uleeta; an' I'm not sure that there may not be some more of you in the same case. If so, all right; the more the merrier.
Word Of The Day