"Smothered anybody this morning, Sikak?" asked the Bird.
A laugh went round the circle at this sally of Jack's; for Skunk's method of fighting did not meet with universal approval. Blue Wolf thought Sikak was a good piece of meat clean thrown away. When hungry he could manage Badger, or even Porcupine; but Skunk! "Ur-r-r, agh!" it turned his stomach to think of the dose he had received once when he tried it.
"Good-morning, Your Majesty!" said Lynx, as he arrived shortly after Skunk.
"How is everybody up your way?" queried Jack. "How are all the young Wapooses?"
Lynx grinned deprecatingly.
"Pisew is not likely to forget the Law of the Seventh Year," remarked Carcajou, with a sinister expression, "so he is not so deeply interested in young Wapoos as he used to be."
"What is the meeting for?" asked Lynx.
"François has been visiting the pond of our little Comrade, Umisk," replied Black King.
"And has been at my Slide, too," declared Otter.
"Well, Comrades, we had better go with Nekik and examine into this thing," commanded the King.