THE CEREMONIAL DRUM 189

est. The Niska slaves are armed also. When the owl
hoots three times, they will all attack. I heard
Chief Klaidak say so as they came through the chan-
nel!”

For a moment the Haida chief hesitated. It was a
serious matter to accuse a visiting chief of treach-
ery—an insult that would mean war. Yet so well
known was Klaidak’s hatred of the Haidas, so often
had he been heard to declare that he would destroy
Quasset and make slaves of all its people, that the
Haida chief, suspicious of his wily visitor, had or-
dered his warriors to wear concealed weapons to the
peace ceremony. It was well that he had done so.
And it was well for the Haidas that the Hudson’s Bay
factor had made them that door in the rear wall of
the guest house—a door on hinges. Without it, the
Haidas would have been imprisoned in the guest
house. Now they could rush out and attack the enemy,
while the women and children escaped into the forest.
Wise were the Yetz Haada, thinking of all things!

The chief remembered now that he had heard the
hoot of an owl several times during the ceremony, a
most unusual occurrence in the day-time! The Haida
warriors remembered also, and called words of warn-
ing to their chief. Their mutterings grew louder and
louder as Klaidak and his men protested angrily
that Yulan’s words were false; that they had been
insulted at a peace ceremony.

The mutterings swelled in volume, became a roar