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TTL

Se

226 THE BIG CANOE

small canoe in exchange for Oala,” she went on
hurriedly, “if she may take the doll and masks with
her to our village. Since you two are twins and the
doll belongs to you jointly, it all rests with you,
Kona. If you will give the doll to your sister, so
that the supernatural ones shall not be offended, this
thing can soon be settled.”

Before Oala could protest, Kona answered like
a chief’s son, bravely hiding the grief and disappoint-
ment in his heart.

“Oala may take the Talking Doll and the masks,”
he said. “It is better for one of us to go to the
islands of the Haidas than for both of us to stay
among the Niskas.”

“But I cannot leave Kona!” Oala protested franti-
cally. “He is my twin, and I cannot leave him! Ever
since we were captured I have taken care of him,
have brought him his food, have helped him walk,
made his clothing, found wood for his masks. He
cannot do these things for himself. No one among
the Niskas will do them for him. I cannot go and
leave him alone. I will not do it!”

While the princess stood there, perplexed, sor-
rowful, Oala looked into her brother’s eyes and knew
that his heart was breaking. Go away and leave
Kona to the mercy of the slaves in the Niska vil-
lage? Go away and leave the twin whose thoughts
had been her thoughts for so many years? Better
for both of them to remain in the Niska village