“Did not I take her? The girl is mine. I will carry her to my tent and make her my wife.”
“Be it so,” replied the chief abruptly. Then turning to his followers, he gave orders to start immediately.
In a few minutes all was ready. The chief led the way into the bush. The Esquimau girl and her captor followed; and the whole band, silently and in single file, commenced to retrace their steps to the far distant hunting-grounds of the Cree Indians.
Note 1. Esquimau name for Indians.
Chapter Fourteen.
The pursuit—Seal-spearing—The giant’s despair.
When the young Esquimau began to recover from the lethargic state into which his wound had thrown him, he found himself lying at the bottom of the women’s oomiak with his old grandfather by his side, and a noisy crew of children and dogs around him. Raising himself on his elbow, he brushed the clotted blood and hair from his temples, and endeavoured to recall his scattered faculties. Seeing this, the old crone who had saved his life laid down her paddle and handed him a sealskin cup of water, which he seized and drank with avidity. Fortunately the wound on his forehead, although it had stunned him severely at first, was trifling, and in a few minutes after partaking of the cool water, he recovered sufficiently to sit up and look around him.