For my part I consider fire to be the greatest blessing ever
conferred upon mankind."
"How about light, air, water, food, and sleep?" asked White.
"Those are necessaries, but fire is a luxury. Not only that, but it is
the first of all luxuries and the one upon which nearly all others
depend."
When, a little later, Cabot lay so close to the blaze that his sleeping
bag caught on fire, and he burned his hands in putting it out, White
laughingly asked:
"What do you think of your luxury now?"
"I think," was the reply, "that it proves itself the greatest of
luxuries by punishing over-indulgence in it with the greatest amount of
pain."
"Umph!" remarked Yim, who was listening, "Big fire, goot. Baby fire,
more goot. Innuit yamp mos' goot of any."
"Oh, pshaw!" retorted Cabot, "your sooty little lamp isn't in it with a
blaze like that."
On the third day of their journey the party had skirted the edge of the
timber for several hours, when all at once Yim held his head high with
dilated nostrils. At the same time it was noticed that the dogs were
also sniffing eagerly.
"What is it, Yim?"
"Fire. Injin fire," was the reply.
"I'd like to know how you can tell an Indian fire from any other," said
Cabot. "Especially when it is so far away that I can't smell anything
but cold air."
But Yim was right, for, after a while, his companions also smelled
smoke, and a little later the yelping of their dogs was answered by
shrill cries from within the timber.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185