The twins had some trouble getting out of the tunnel because both their
hands were full. And besides the fishing rods kept getting between
their legs. When they got outside they both took great bites of the
bear's fat.
Kesshoo was hanging the dogs' harnesses up on a tall pole, where the
dogs could not get them. The pole was eight feet long, and it was made
of the tusk of a narwhal. The harnesses were made of walrus thongs and
the dogs would eat them if they had a chance. That was the reason
Kesshoo hung them out of reach. The twins ran to their father at once.
They began to tell him that they wanted to go fishing right away before
the sun went down but their mouths were so full they couldn't get the
words out!
"Mm-m-m-m," Menie began, chewing with all his might!
Then Monnie did a shocking thing! She swallowed her meat whole, she was
in such hurry! It made a great lump going down her throat! It almost
choked her. But she shut her eyes, jerked her head forward, and got it
down!
"Will you make two holes in the ice for us to fish through?" she said.
She got the words out first! Then she took another bite of meat.
"Have you got your lines ready, and anything for bait?" asked their
father.
By this time Menie had swallowed his mouthful too. He said, "We can
take a piece of bear's meat for bait. The lines and hooks are ready."
Kesshoo looked at the lines. The rods were very short. They were made
of driftwood with a piece of bone bound to the end by tough thongs.
There was a hole in the end of the bone, and through this hole the line
was threaded. The line was made of braided reindeer thongs. On the end
of the line was a hook carved out of bone.
"Your lines are all right," said Kesshoo. "Come along."
He led the way down to the beach. The twins came tumbling after him,
and I am sorry to tell you they gobbled their meat all the way! After
the twins came Nip and Tup. The ice was very thick. Kesshoo and the
twins and the pups walked out on it quite a distance from the shore.
Kesshoo cut two round holes in the ice. One was for Menie and one for
Monnie. The holes were not big enough for them to fall into.
By this time the twins had eaten all their meat except some small
pieces which they saved for bait. They each put a piece of meat on the
hook. Then they squatted down on their heels and dropped the hooks into
the holes.
Kesshoo went back to the village, and left them there. "Don't stay out
too long," he called back to them.