While these stirring events were taking place in Flatland, our friends
in the Island of Poloe continued to fish and hunt, and keep watch and
ward against their expected enemies in the usual fashion; but alas for
the poor Englishmen! All the light had gone out of their eyes; all the
elasticity had vanished from their spirits. Ah! it is only those who
know what it is to lose a dear friend or brother, who can understand the
terrible blank which had descended on the lives of our discoverers,
rendering them, for the time at least, comparatively indifferent to the
events that went on around them, and totally regardless of the great
object which had carried them so far into those regions of ice.
They could no longer doubt that Leo and his companions had perished, for
they had searched every island of the Poloe group, including that one on
which Leo and the Eskimos had found temporary refuge. Here, indeed, a
momentary gleam of hope revived, when Alf found the spent
cartridge-cases which his brother had thrown down on the occasion of his
shooting for the purpose of impressing his captors, and they searched
every yard of the island, high and low, for several days, before
suffering themselves to relapse into the old state of despair. No
evidence whatever remained to mark the visit of the Eskimos, for these
wily savages never left anything behind them on their war-expeditions,
and the storm had washed away any footprints that might have remained in
the hard rocky soil.
Amalatok--who, with his son and his men, sympathised with the Englishmen
in their loss, and lent able assistance in the prolonged search--gave
the final death-blow to their hopes by his remarks, when Captain Vane
suggested that perhaps the lost ones had been blown over the sea to
Flatland.
"That is not possible," said Amalatok promptly.
"Why not? The distance is not so very great."
"The distance is not very great, that is true," replied Amalatok. "If
Lo had sailed away to Flatland he might have got safely there, but
Blackbeard surely forgets that the storm did not last more than a few
hours. If Lo had remained even a short time on this island, would not
the calm weather which followed the storm have enabled him to paddle
back again to Poloe? No, he must have thought the storm was going to be
a long one, and thinking that, must have tried, again to face it and
paddle against it. In this attempt he has perished. Without doubt Lo
and Unders and Oblooria are in the land of spirits."
Eskimos of the far north, unlike the red men of the prairies, are prone
to give way to their feelings. At the mention of the timid one's name,
Oolichuk covered his face with his hands and wept aloud. Poor Alf and
Benjy felt an almost irresistible desire to join him. All the fun and
frolic had gone completely out of the latter, and as for Alf, he went
about like a man half asleep, with a strange absent look in his eyes and
a perfect blank on his expressionless face. No longer did he roam the
hills of Poloeland with geological hammer and box. He merely went
fishing when advised or asked to do so, or wandered aimlessly on the
sea-shore. The Captain and Benjy acted much in the same way. In the
extremity of their grief they courted solitude.
The warm hearts of Chingatok and the negro beat strong with sympathy.
They longed to speak words of comfort, but at first delicacy of feeling,
which is found in all ranks and under every skin, prevented them from
intruding on sorrow which they knew not how to assuage.
At last the giant ventured one day to speak to Alf. "Has the Great
Spirit no word of comfort for His Kablunet children?" he asked.
"Yes, yes," replied Alf quickly. "He says, `Call upon me in the time of
trouble and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.'"
"Have you not called?" asked Chingatok with a slight look of surprise.
"No; I say it to my shame, Chingatok. This blow has so stunned me that
I had forgotten my God."
"Call now," said the giant earnestly. "If He is a good and true God, He
must keep His promise."
Alf did call, then and there, and the Eskimo stood and listened with
bowed head and reverent look, until the poor youth had concluded his
prayer with the name of Jesus.
The negro's line of argument with Benjy was different and
characteristically lower toned.
"You muss keep up de heart, Massa Benjy. Nobody nebber knows wot may
come for to pass. P'r'aps Massa Leo he go to de Nort Pole by hisself.
He was allers bery fond o' takin' peepil by surprise. Nebber say die,
Massa Benjy, s'long's der's a shot in de locker."
At any other time Benjy would have laughed at the poor cook's efforts to
console him, but he only turned away with a sigh.
Two days after that the Eskimos of Poloe were assembled on the beach
making preparations to go off on a seal hunt.
"Is that a whale on the horizon or a walrus!" asked the Captain,
touching Chingatok on the arm as they stood on the edge of the sea,
ready to embark.
"More like a black gull," said Benjy, "or a northern diver."
Chingatok looked long and earnestly at the object in question, and then
said with emphasis--"A kayak!"
"One of the young men returning from a hunt, I suppose," said Alf, whose
attention was aroused by the interest manifested by the surrounding
Eskimos.
"Not so," said Amalatok, who joined the group at the moment, "the man
paddles like a man of Flatland."
"What! one of your enemies?" cried the Captain, who, in his then state
of depression, would have welcomed a fight as a sort of relief.
Evidently Butterface shared his hopes, for he showed the whites of his
eyes and grinned amazingly as he clenched his horny hands.
"Yes--our enemies," said Amalatok.
"The advanced guard of the host," said the Captain, heartily; "come, the
sooner we get ready for self-defence the better."
"Yis, dat's de word," said the negro, increasing his grin for a moment
and then collapsing into sudden solemnity; "we nebber fights 'cep' in
self-defence--oh no--_nebber_!"
"They come not to attack," said Chingatok quietly. "Flatlanders never
come except in the night when men sleep. This is but one man."
"Perhaps he brings news!" exclaimed Benjy, with a sudden blaze of hope.
"Perhaps," echoed Alf, eagerly.
"It may be so," said Chingatok.
It was not long before the question was set at rest. The approaching
kayak came on at racing speed. Its occupant leaped on shore, and,
panting from recent exertion, delivered his thrilling message.
"Prisoners in Flatland," said the Captain at the council of war which
was immediately summoned, "but alive and well. Let us be thankful for
that good news, anyhow; but then, they ask us to help them, _quickly_.
That means danger."
"Yes, danger!" shouted Oolichuk, who, at the thought of Oblooria in the
hands of his foes, felt an almost irresistible desire to jump at some of
the youths of his own tribe, and kill them, by way of relieving his
feelings.
"Rest content, Oolichuk," cried Amalatok, with a horrible grinding of
his teeth; "we will tear out their hearts, and batter in their skulls,
and--"
"But," resumed the Captain hastily, "I do not think the danger so great.
All I would urge is that we should not delay going to their rescue--"
"Ho! huk! hi!" interrupted the whole band of assembled warriors, leaping
up and going through sundry suggestive actions with knives and spears.
"Does my father wish me to get the kayaks ready?" asked Chingatok, who,
as usual, retained his composure.
"Do, my son. Let plenty of blubber be stowed in them, and war-spears,"
said the old chief; "we will start at once."
The promptitude with which these northern Eskimos prepared for war might
be a lesson to the men of civilised communities. We have already said
that the sun had by that time begun to set for a few hours each day.
Before it had reached the deepest twilight that night a hundred and
fifty picked warriors, with their kayaks and war material, were skimming
over the sea, led by the fiery old chief and his gigantic but
peace-loving son. Of course Captain Vane, Benjy, Alphonse Vandervell,
and Butterface accompanied them, but none of the women were allowed to
go, as it was expected that the war would be a bloody one. These,
therefore, with the children, were left in charge of a small body of the
big boys of the tribe, with the old men.
The weather was fine, the sea smooth, and the arms of the invading host
strong. It was not long before the sea that separated Poloe Island from
Flatland was crossed.
Towards sunset of a calm and beautiful day they sighted land. Gently,
with noiseless dip of paddle, they glided onward like a phantom fleet.
That same evening Leo and Oblooria sat by the couch of Grabantak,
nursing him. The injury received by the chief from the whale had thrown
him into a high fever. The irritation of enforced delay on his fiery
spirit had made matters worse, and at times he became delirious. During
these paroxysms it required two men to hold him down, while he indulged
in wild denunciations of his Poloe foes, with frequent allusions to
dread surgical operations to be performed on the body of Amalatok--
operations with which the Royal College of Surgeons is probably
unacquainted. Leo, whose knowledge of the Eskimo tongue was rapidly
extending, sought to counteract the patient's ferocity by preaching
forgiveness and patience. Being unsuccessful, he had recourse to a
soporific plant which he had recently discovered. To administer an
overdose of this was not unnatural, perhaps, in a youthful doctor.
Absolute prostration was not the precise result he had hoped for, but it
_was_ the result, and it had the happy effect of calming the spirit of
Grabantak and rendering him open to conviction.
Fortunately the Flatlanders were on the look-out when the men of Poloe
drew near. One of the Flatland braves was returning from a fishing
expedition at the time, saw the advancing host while they were yet well
out at sea, and came home at racing speed with the news.
"Strange that they should come to attack _us_," said Teyma to Leo at the
council of war which was immediately called. "It has always, up to this
time, been our custom to attack _them_."
"Not so strange as you think," said Anders, who now, for the first time,
mentioned the sending of the message to Poloeland.
Black looks were turned on the interpreter, and several hands wandered
towards boots in search of daggers, when the prime minister interfered.
"You did not well, Unders, to act without letting us know," he said with
grave severity. "We must now prepare to meet the men of Poloe, whether
they come as friends or foes. Let the young men arm. I go to consult
with our chief."
"You must not consult with Grabantak," said Leo firmly. "He lies limp.
His backbone has no more strength than a piece of walrus line. His son
must act for him at present."
"Boo!" exclaimed one of the warriors, with a look of ineffable contempt,
"Koyatuk is big enough, but he is brainless. He can bluster and look
fierce like the walrus, but he has only the wisdom of an infant puffin.
No, we will be led by Teyma."
This sentiment was highly applauded by the entire council, which
included the entire army, indeed the whole grown-up male part of the
nation; so that Koyatuk was deposed on the spot, as all incompetents
ought to be, and one of the best men of Flatland was put in his place.
"But if I am to lead you," said the premier firmly, "it shall be to
peace, not to war!"
"Lead us to what you like; you have brains," returned the man who had
previously said "boo!" "We know not what is best, but we can trust
you."
Again the approval was unanimous.
"Well, then, I accept the command until my chief's health is restored,"
said Teyma, rising. "Now, the council is at an end. To your huts,
warriors, and get your spears ready; and to your lamps, girls. Prepare
supper for our warriors, and let the allowance of each be doubled."
This latter command caused no small degree of surprise, but no audible
comment was made, and strict obedience was rendered.
Leo returned to Grabantak's hut, where he found that fiery chief as limp
as ever, but with some of the old spirit left, for he was feebly making
uncomfortable references to the heart, liver, and other vital organs of
Amalatok and all his band.
Soon afterwards that band came on in battle array, on murderous deeds
intent. The Flatlanders assembled on the beach to receive them.
"Leave your spears on the ground behind you," shouted Teyma to his host;
"advance to the water's edge, and at my signal, throw up your arms."
"They have been forewarned," growled Amalatok, grinding his teeth in
disappointment, and checking the advance of his fleet by holding up one
hand.
"No doubt," said Captain Vane, who, with Benjy, Alf, and Butterface, was
close to the Poloe chief in one of the india-rubber boats, "no doubt my
young countryman, having sent a message, expected us. Surely--eh!
Benjy, is not that Leo standing in front of the rest with another man?"
The Captain applied his binocular telescope to his eyes as he spoke.
"Yes, it's him--thank God! and I see Anders too, quite plainly, and
Oblooria!"
"Are they bound hand and foot?" demanded Amalatok, savagely.
"No, they are as free as you are. And the Eskimos are unarmed,
apparently."
"Ha! that is their deceit," growled the chief. "The Flatlanders were
always sly; but they shall not deceive us. Braves, get ready your
spears!"
"May it not be that Leo has influenced them peacefully, my father?"
suggested Chingatok.
"Not so, my son," said the chief savagely. "Grabantak was always sly as
a white fox, fierce as a walrus, mean as a wolf, greedy as a black gull,
contemptible as--"
The catalogue of Grabantak's vices was cut short by the voice of Teyma
coming loud and strong over the sea.
"If the men of Poloe come as friends, let them land. The men of
Flatland are about to feed, and will share their supper. If the men of
Poloe come as foes, still I say let them land. The braves of Flatland
have sharpened their spears!"
Teyma threw up both hands as he finished, and all his host followed
suit.
For a moment or two the Poloese hesitated. They still feared deception.
Then the voice of Leo was heard loud and clear.
"Why do you hesitate? come on, uncle, supper's getting cold. We've been
waiting for you a long time, and are all very hungry!"
This was received with a shout of laughter by the Englishmen, high above
which rose a wild cheer of joy from Benjy. Amalatok swallowed his
warlike spirit, laid aside his spear, and seized his paddle. Chingatok
gave the signal to advance, and, a few minutes later, those warriors of
the north--those fierce savages who, probably for centuries, had been
sworn hereditary foes--were seated round the igloe-lamps, amicably
smearing their fingers and faces with fat, as they feasted together on
chops of the walrus and cutlets of the polar bear.