THE TALKING DOLL 219

family for many generations. She knew also that
the secret of its magic powers had passed down from
father to son during all those years, carefully guarded
as such family secrets are guarded among the Tsim-
shians.

Oala dressed the doll now in a costume such as
a royal princess would wear: a dancing dress trimmed
with shells; a tiny broad-brimmed hat; a fur mantle;
a small embroidered blanket of goat’s wool; and
took from her hiding-place some tiny perfect masks
Kona had made, which fitted over the doll’s face,
completely changing its appearance. Now she was
ready to seek out the beautiful Haida princess who
had so often passed the Niska village. Now she was
ready to stake everything on the chance that the
princess would want to buy the Talking Doll.

All through the long winter Oala had pondered
on her plan, had waited impatiently for olachen
time when the tribes would gather on the Nass. When
spring came, she had watched the ducks and geese
flying northward, high overhead; had waited day
after day for the arrival of the silvery fish. Then
one day the gulls had appeared in the distance,
darkening the sky, obscuring the sun. Like a black
cloud they came, pouring into the bay from the in-
let that led out to the sea. Screaming, diving, circling
endlessly, they hovered above the silver horde in
the waters below—a sign to all on the Nass that
the olachen run was beginning.