"Go, ye men, with the dogs and sledges, and take my trail for the
better part of a day's travel," he said. "There is much meat on
the ice - a she-bear and two half-grown cubs."
Ikeega was overcome with joy, but he received her demonstrations in
manlike fashion, saying: "Come, Ikeega, let us eat. And after
that I shall sleep, for I am weary."
And he passed into their IGLOO and ate profoundly, and after that
slept for twenty running hours.
There was much doubt at first, much doubt and discussion. The
killing of a polar bear is very dangerous, but thrice dangerous is
it, and three times thrice, to kill a mother bear with her cubs.
The men could not bring themselves to believe that the boy Keesh,
single-handed, had accomplished so great a marvel. But the women
spoke of the fresh-killed meat he had brought on his back, and this
was an overwhelming argument against their unbelief. So they
finally departed, grumbling greatly that in all probability, if the
thing were so, he had neglected to cut up the carcasses. Now in
the north it is very necessary that this should be done as soon as
a kill is made.
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