Taptuna hoped to get a caribou that day or the next, but he did not see any; nor the following day either; nor the next after that. His eyes, instead of peering alertly, now began to look strained. He rose early, leaving Kak and Okak to break camp, and went off to stalk a possible deer; watching closely all the way for hares, or birds or anything eatable. The long, hot hours passed without bringing him luck. On he trudged fiercely, morosely till he saw the party pitching their tent; then he gave up and plodded slowly toward them. They rushed to meet him.
“Nothing!” he cried, showing his empty hands. “We learn now this country is tricky.”
“Hadn’t we better turn back!” faltered Okak.
“Too late! It’s too late for that! We’re dead sure there is no game behind us at least three days’ journey—on ahead we may find something.”
Taptuna was very blue; his low spirits frightened Okak and made Kak feel sober. Guninana, bustling about, talked to cheer them all:
“Nonsense! What’s the good of being so glum only because you haven’t killed a caribou the last few days? See here, Noashak and I have dug a grand bag of masu roots; we will have them boiled in no time and can go to bed with full tummies.”
But in spite of her efforts nobody looked happy. Masu is a sort of wild parsnip, at its best hardly a nice supper, and not very sustaining for hungry hunters.
Okak was thoroughly scared by the situation, much too scared to sleep. He felt he was to blame for having suggested caching their extra food; so he stole out while the others rested and succeeded in snaring two squirrels. You would never believe how small a squirrel is when it has been skinned! And there were five of them, besides the dogs, to breakfast off these two little fellows. Guninana got scarcely any, as she gave most of her share to Noashak. They were hungry all day and had to dine on three ptarmigans, small grouse, shot by Kak; for Taptuna was still bent on fetching home something worth while.
“Mark my words,” said Okak cheerlessly, “we are going to have to live all summer on birds and squirrels and masu roots.”
“Don’t be such a grouch,” Kak replied shortly. “I saw a hare to-day.”