Born of noted fighters, a dog attains the position of “king” or chief dog of a team by whipping all the dogs in the team of his particular master.  When he has asserted his supremacy over the dogs of his own team, he is successively set before the rulers of other teams.  And by a process of elimination of those which lose, the two final victors in a village are finally aligned against one another.

In the series of fights held between the king dogs of the various teams, both Papik’s and Attalaq’s had come off with final honors.  The immediate contest between the two most distinguished canines in the village was an event of exciting importance, and to the women there was a romantic zest in it, for all believed that victory would determine Ahningnetty’s favor.

At the time of the event all who could do so crowded into Attalaq’s stone house.  In the centre of a tense group of onlookers the two dogs were placed before each other.  They were handsome animals, with long keen noses, denoting an aristocracy of canine birth, and long shaggy coats, mottled brown and white, as soft as silk.  A long line of victories lay to the credit of each.

A sharp howl announced the fight—­the two lithe bodies leaped together—­the air within the little circle became electric.  The dogs snapped, tumbled over each other.  Their sharp teeth sank into each other’s shanks.  The natives cheered whenever a favorite secured an advantage.  Bets were made.  Papik’s eyes gleamed as he alternately watched his dog and the face of Ahningnetty as she peered interestedly over the onlookers’ shoulders.  Attalaq’s countenance was grim—­not a muscle moved.

Finally Attalaq’s dog, with a chagrined growl, unexpectedly rushed from the enclosure and crouched in a corner of the igloo.

The natives effusively gathered about Papik, who bent over his dog with proud affection.  In the excitement Ahningnetty quickly left the igloo, and standing outside gazed meditatively at the stars.  They hung in the sky above like great pendulous jewels, palpitant with interior name—­there were purple stars, and blue stars, and orange-colored stars; some resembled monstrous amethysts, some emeralds fierily green, some rubies spitting sparks vindictively red; others globular sheeny pearls, creamy of lustre but shot with faint gleams of rose; and fugitively sprinkling the firmament here and there were orbs that glistened like diamonds, wonderfully and purely white.  Saturn, distinct among all the heavenly bodies, throbbed with a van-colored changing glow like a bulbous opal, and about it, with a strange shimmer, visibly swirled its iridescent rings.

“Thou standest alone—­thou wouldst leave me?” Papik, eager, triumphant, questioning, emerged from the stone entrance to the house and approached the girl.  The other natives, homeward bent, followed.

The girl was silent.

“Methought thou wouldst be glad——­”