CHAPTER XV.

Strangers appear on the scene—The Esquimaux are hospitably entertained
by the sailors—A spirited trafic—Thieving propensitics and summary
justice.

UMPS sat on the top of a hummock, about
quarter of a mile from the ship, with an
expression of subdued melancholy on his countenance,
and thinking, evidently, about nothing at all. Poker
sat in front of him gazing earnestly and solemnly
right into his eyes with a look that said, as plain
as if he had spoken, “ What a tremendously stupid
old fellow you are, to be sure!” Having sat thus
for full five minutes, Dumps wa¢ged his tail. Poker,
observing the action, returned the compliment with
his stump. Then Poker sprang up and_ barked
savagely, as much as to say, “Play, won’t you?”
but Dumps wouldn’t; so Poker endeavoured to relieve
his mind by gambolling violently round him.

We would not have drawn your attention, reader,
to the antics of our canine friends, were it not for the
fact that these antics attracted the notice of a person-
age who merits particular description. This was no
other than one of the Esquimau inhabitants of the