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"Truly, as he saith, there is little food, and happy will be Papik's wife," said one. "But when thy blubber is gone with what shalt thou provide her?" asked Ahningnetty. "Perchance the bears will come," Papik said. "And skillful is Papik's hand with the lance." "But thy hand is long, Papik, and long fingers soon lose their skill." Ahningnetty dubiously shook her head.
In the series of fights held between the king dogs of the various teams, both Papik's and Attalaq's had come off with final honors. The immediate contest between the two most distinguished canines in the village was an event of exciting importance, and to the women there was a romantic zest in it, for all believed that victory would determine Ahningnetty's favor.
The girl was silent. "Methought thou wouldst be glad " "Thy dog is strong," the girl replied. "Dost thou love that dotard Attalaq?" "No," the maid replied. "He is clumsy as the musk ox." They turned, walking toward the igloo occupied by Ahningnetty and her aged father. "Wilt thou not be Papik's wife?" Papik pleaded. "My shelter is cold little meat have I. The white men robbed the tribe.
Papik's eyes gleamed as he alternately watched his dog and the face of Ahningnetty as she peered interestedly over the onlookers' shoulders. Attalaq's countenance was grim not a muscle moved. Finally Attalaq's dog, with a chagrined growl, unexpectedly rushed from the enclosure and crouched in a corner of the igloo.
Ahningnetty!" he hailed a chubby maiden who, breaking from the arms of one of the white men, was seen running toward her shelter. "What wouldst thou, Papik?" she called. "Papik would speak with thee. They will bite thee with pangs of hunger, and the meat Papik brings will make joyful Papik's wife." Ahningnetty, summoning some of the other maidens, surveyed Papik's load of blubber.
'Tis well! And then he showed me his hands they were frozen frozen! Verily, he would now be a sorry husband to provide for a wife." "Papik's fingers frozen!" took up the others. "Unhappy Papik." "He sobs and weeps he sobs and weeps," said the old woman. "He saith the dreaded misfortune hath come, and the days of his skill on the hunt are over!"
Maisanguaq's harpoon went wild. He jealously watched Ootah and struck without skill, carried away by chagrin and rage. Eré made valiant attacks for he, too, thought of Annadoah, but the walrus invariably went skimming from under his blows. Papik's harpoon glanced the backs of half a dozen. Finally it landed. He shouted with glee.
"Rotten lot," Olafaksoah said to Papik, surveying his single catch of a young walrus. Papik winced at this reproach. "Two boxes fire powder," said Olafaksoah. Papik refused. Olafaksoah browbeat him in a high voice. Finally he kicked him. "One case needles." He called Papik's mother and chucked her under the chin. She smiled at him, awed, flattered, half afraid.
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