Page:The white czar; a story of a polar bear (IA whiteczarstoryof00hawk).pdf/157

 itself. Poor Whitie swam and swam just as fast as he could, but they caught up to him and threw a rope and caught him by the neck. Then Whitie fighted and fighted, but they pulled on the rope and choked him. They choked and choked until Whitie was almost dead. Then they pulled him up into another ship as large as a mountain and put him in a great box and he laid down and cried and cried and cried. Then I woke up and I was crying too."

"Have you seen Whitie?" asked the Eskimo boy with tears in his eyes, pulling at Eiseeyou's sleeve.

The Eskimo was dumfounded at this account of Oumauk's dream, for it corresponded almost perfectly to what had happened the day before. Like all Eskimos he was very superstitious, and this had a sort of supernatural appearance to him. So he crossed himself before replying. Then he answered warily.

"Yes, I saw Whitie. He was eating a seal pup. He was all right."

"Is he all right now?" insisted Oumauk, his voice trembling with excitement.