The children swarmed forth from the igloos to romp with the puppies, which had also made their appearance with the coming of Spring. These puppies were legion in number and of all sizes and colors.
But these little snow children loved them just as much as they would have the most pedigreed dogs. So the children, the puppies, and the small white bear all rioted and rejoiced in the glad Springtime.
With the coming of Spring, the traps were all brought in and put away until another season. Walrus hunting and seal hunting was also temporarily given up; as the seals, the walrus, and the foxes would follow the icefloe northward.
Perhaps next to the enjoyment of the warm sunshine and the coming of certain spring flowers, which abound in surprising profusion even in these north latitudes, the return of the birds was the most wonderful thing enjoyed in Eskimo Town. Of all the feathered friends that returned in the spring the Eskimo most joyously welcomed the little auk, which is to him the most useful of all the Arctic birds. It also rejoiced their hearts to see great flocks of eider ducks, and Brant's geese go by. Full well they knew that when they had gone to their summer quarters in Eskimo Village they would find good eating from these great birds. But first of all the auk claimed their attention.
These birds are about the size of the screech owl, or a little larger than the robin. They are gay of plumage and very pleasing to the eye when they come in large flocks. They are so tame that if one goes to the top of a high hill and sits down on the ground perfectly still, they will light upon one's head and shoulders. They seem to be entirely fearless.
So when the auk had come back in great numbers, Eiseeyou, Oumauk, and Whitie went to the top of a high hill near by Eskimo Town to catch them in the nets.
Whitie was almost as much interested as the rest. Little Oumauk was all eagerness, as helping with the net was a sort of initiation into becoming a great hunter.
The net was something like a fish net. The two ends were secured on the tops of two tall poles about twelve feet apart.