“That is true; tell the pale chief he is wise, yet he knows not all things. Let him think. When he comes to the great open sea what will he do without canoes?”
“Huk!” exclaimed Oolichuk, with that look and tone which intimated his belief that the pale chief had received a “clincher.”
The chattering of the other Eskimos ceased for a moment or two as they awaited eagerly the Captain’s answer, but the Captain disappointed them. He merely said, “Well, we shall see. I may not know all things, Chingatok, nevertheless I know a deal more than you can guess at. Come now, let’s have supper, Anders; we can’t wait for the wanderers.”
As he spoke, three of the wanderers came into camp, namely Leo, Benjy, and Butterface.
“What’s come of Alf?” asked the Captain.
Neither Leo nor Benjy had seen him since they parted, a quarter of an hour after starting, and both had expected to find him in camp, but Butterface had seen him.
“Sawd him runnin’,” said the sable steward, “runnin’ like a mad kangaroo arter a smallish brute like a mouse. Nebber sawd nuffin’ like Massa Alf for runnin’.”
“Well, we can’t wait for him,” said the Captain, “I want to take possession of the island before supper. What shall we call it?”
“Disappointment Isle,” said Leo, “seeing that the Eskimos have failed us.”
“No—I won’t be ungrateful,” returned the Captain, “considering the successes already achieved.”