110 THE BIG CANOE

the arrow and binding the wound with expert fingers.
“This wound is not serious, and the boy will soon be
as well as ever.”

“TI am glad to hear that,” said the head chief. “We
cannot afford to lose such a musician. Never have I
heard such music; never have I seen such an instru-
ment.” He picked up the reeds and examined them
carefully, the others watching in silence. At last he
spoke.

“Quahl can carve as no Haida has ever carved and
so is honored among us,” he said, “but you, Kagan,
can bring forth music from this strange instrument
such as none of us has ever heard before, and great
honor shall be yours also. You have dared to play in
the face of almost certain death, and have saved our
village from the enemy. No one among us will ever
forget what you have done; no one of us will ever for-
get the debt we owe you. You shall be the head
musician of our tribe. No shaman shall be above you,
for no shaman has ever done for us what you have
done to-day. From this day on, you shall always play
at our ceremonies and dances; from this day on you
shall be honored as you deserve by all my people.”

“T cannot take all the credit,” Kagan stammered
weakly. “It was Dagal who ran through the forest to
alarm the village.”

“You are right, Kagan,” the chief agreed. “We
owe much to Dagal also. She, too, shall receive many
presents and much honor.”