204: THE WORLD OF ICE.

friendship. Go down, Meetuck, and invite Awatok
and his wife, and half-a-dozen of the chief men,
into the cabin. Say I wish to have a talk with
them.”

The interpreter obeyed, and in a few minutes the
officers of the ship and the chiefs of the Esquimaux
were assembled in solemn conclave round the cabin
table.

“Tell them, Meetuck,” said the captain, “that T
know they have stolen two pieces of hoop-iron and a
tin kettle, and ask them why they were so ungrateful
as to do it.”

The Esquimaux, who were becoming rather alarmed
at the stern looks of those around them, protested
earnestly that they knew nothing about it, and that
they had not taken the things referred to.

“Say that I do not believe them,” answered the
captain sternly. “It is an exceedingly wicked thing
to steal and to tell lies. White men think those who
are guilty of such conduct to be very bad.”

“Ah, ye villain!” evied Saunders, seizine’ one of the
Esquimaux named Oosuck by the shoulder, and draw-
ing forth an iron spoon which he observed projecting
from the end of his boot.

An exclamation of surprise and displeasure burst
from the officers, but the Esquimaux gave vent to a
loud laugh. They evidently thought stealing to be
no sin, and were not the least ashamed of being
detected. Awatok, however, was an exception, He
looked erave and annoyed, but whether this was at