“I’m glad I saw it coming,” answered Bobby. He was a good deal upset himself—indeed they all were. They moved to another spot and the old Eskimo put his hand on Bobby’s shoulder.
“Takyak thank you,” he said simply, and his manner showed that he was deeply grateful.
“Oh, that’s all right,” answered Bobby, not knowing what else to say.
Now the boys felt better acquainted with the old chief and began to ask him a number of questions.
When they asked him why he stayed in this country if he wanted so much to go back to his own his brow clouded.
“Must stay,” he said. “Circus man give me money—make contract. He tell me no go home. But I no want money. Heaps of money up North—yellow money—gold. Old ship there. Men drown. Plenty m——”
But here he seemed to think he was talking too much and drew back into his shell.
“Must go now,” he muttered, and vanished behind the curtain of the tent.
The boys gazed after the Eskimo in wonder.
“Gee, did you hear what he said?” declared Fred. “Heaps of money up North. What did he mean?”