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Updated: June 16, 2025
By degrees their fears were calmed, and according to their courage the rest of the population returned to the scene of the explosion, some half ashamed of having run away, others more than half ready to run again. "Do they sometimes do like that by themselves?" asked Cheenbuk, referring to the gun. "Never," said the Indian. "Some one must have touched it."
The interest aroused by the pipe, however, was as nothing compared with that bestowed on the fire-spouter. For there was a mystery, noise, and deadliness about the latter which tended to evoke feelings of awe rather than amusement. "I don't like to trouble your father too much, Adolay," whispered Cheenbuk; "would you say to him that we wish very much to see him use the spouter?"
That time was not long of coming; probably the increasing warmth of the hut, or the smell of the seal-steak in the nostrils of the half-starved man, may have had something to do with it, but the meal was hardly ready when the Indian yawned, stretched himself, sat up and gazed solemnly around. "You are feeling better?" said Cheenbuk in his deepened tone, and in broken Dogrib tongue.
At an earlier part of that evening the girl had placed the canoe there, and put into it weapons and provisions suitable for a considerable voyage. "You have got this ready for me?" said Cheenbuk. "Yes. You saved my mother's life once, and I will save yours," replied the girl, pointing to the bow of the canoe as if ordering him to embark.
He passed the loop deftly round Cheenbuk's legs and drew it tight, while the others were still trying vainly to compress his bull-neck. The moment that Cheenbuk felt the noose tighten on his legs he knew that it was all over with him. To run or fight with his legs tied would be impossible, so, like a true philosopher, he submitted to the inevitable and gave in.
He was a crafty Eskimo, and a thought had occurred to him. He would sham exhaustion, and, when his foes relaxed their grip, would burst away from them. He knew it was a forlorn hope, for he was well aware that, even if he should succeed in getting away, the spouters would send messengers to arrest him before he had run far. But Cheenbuk was just the man for a forlorn hope.
Every year Nootka found it quite impossible to exist without seeing her brother Cheenbuk in his own home, and having a satisfactory gossip with her dear friend Adolay. As Oolalik agreed with Nootka in all things, there was no difficulty in arranging the matter.
The little boy, who had acted so foolishly, came up with an anxious look on being hailed, but soon forgot himself in his anxiety to be of use to the injured man. There was a mound of snow within three yards of the spot where the combat had taken place. To the lee side of this Cheenbuk carried Gartok.
Cautiously, carefully, and with a catlike motion that could hardly have been excelled by an Indian brave, Cheenbuk advanced until he reached the edge of a partially clear space, in which he beheld an Indian leisurely engaged in pushing the head of a large grey goose under his belt. At his side, leaning against a tree, was the long-barrelled fowling-piece, which he had just reloaded.
"Are we to get up a war-party and put ourselves to all this trouble for a woman and a Fire-spouter woman!" "It is not a war-party that I want," said Cheenbuk quietly. "It is a peace-party, and such a strong one that there will be no fear of war.
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