“Yah-hah-hah!  I shall create a tupilak!” he crooned vindictively.  “I shall create a tupilak!  And from the depths of the waters the tupilak shall see Ootah.  Yah-hah-hah!  I shall create a tupilak, and from the hands of Sipsu it shall carry destruction to Ootah on the sea.  Yah-hah-hah!” He laughed crazily.  Continuing his chant he constructed of the bones a crude likeness to an animal skeleton.  Over this he sprinkled a handful of dried turf.  Then, from beneath the cover of his bed he brought a stone pot and from it poured a sluggish red liquid over the strange object of his creation.  This was a mixture of clotted animal blood and water kept for such purposes of conjuration.  This done, he threw over the bones an aged sealskin.  Then he rose to his feet, and in a low voice uttered the secret formulas whereby, in the depths of the sea, the result of his labor should take the form of an artificial walrus.

Maisanguaq stood by, silent, evil exultation shining in his eyes.

While the Sipsu was moaning his spell over the pile of bones, Maisanguaq turned and left the tent.  Out on the sea he saw the kayaks of his departing companions.

“Good luck, Maisanguaq, have courage in the chase!  Remember Annadoah awaits you all!” Annadoah called blithely and coquettishly after him.

Maisanguaq’s lips tightened, his heart leaped, but well he knew that he meant nothing to the maiden, well he knew what little chance he had, and envy filled him, and bitter doubt, for he knew Ootah’s prowess, his strength of limb, and braveness of heart.  However, he put out with quick powerful strokes, and with a sense of anticipated triumph, for he was confident that the magician by his necromancy had created in the depths of the sea a tupilak, or artificial walrus, which should attack Ootah.  He knew it might upset Ootah’s kayak and cause him to be drowned.  The probabilities were, however, that it would permit itself to be harpooned, in which case its blighting curse would fall upon Ootah, who would lose all power and strength of limb, whose body would become bent and crippled and racked with the kangerdlugpoq, and who would die slowly, inch by inch.  Thus, Ootah would be helpless the rest of his days and as he died all the dreadful horrors of the curses would come upon him.  Thus would Maisanguaq be revenged.

As the midnight sun dipped below the horizon, the sea became more deeply golden.  To the women watching along the shore, the multitude of kayaks became mere black specks.  They disappeared now and then behind the crests of leaping waves, and reappearing moved with the swiftness of birds along the horizon.

At the entrance of her tent Annadoah stood, one hand shading her eyes as they pierced the radiant distance.  From the mountain passes behind the village echoed the joyous howls of approaching dogs.  Something stirred in the heart of Annadoah—­something fluttered there like the wings of a frightened bird.