THE ANCIENT ONE 45

ing and laughter, for these people are a happy race,
even though they have none of the comforts enjoyed
by the Haidas. Day after day they ate the fat meat of
seals which they caught through the ice; there was no
other food. I thrived upon this fat as did the others,
but each time I slept I dreamed of the juicy roasts of
bear meat, the steaming chunks of halibut and
salmon, the berries, clams, and crab-apples here in
my father’s lodge.

Outside in the cold starlight there were many tasks
to be done, also: young dogs to be broken to harness;
long trips on the sledges while we searched for seal
holes in the ice; cold and weary hours of waiting as
we sat watching for the seals to appear; and an oc-
casional fight with one of the ferocious white bears of
the Northland.

At last, however, the season of the long night was
over and daylight slowly returned. Some of the snow
and ice melted, and then Loo and I started out upon
our search for the Ancient Ones. All over that great
white land we journeyed, hastening from one village
to another, asking about the Ancient Ones but learn-
ing nothing.

One night, just as we were about to turn back, dis-
heartened, I had another dream. This time Raven
himself sat upon a limb over my head and talked to
me.

“Do not be discouraged,” he croaked. “The Ancient