106 THE BED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
Look out ! " sung out the faithful Irish boy again, 
one o' these ugly craturs is comin' now, sure." And he 
glided away from the entrance in a manner that would 
have done credit to an Ayan himself. 
The visitor turned out to be some official of impor- 
tance, who was surmised to be a medicine-man. He was 
dressed in a blue-black army blanket, with a St. George's 
cross of gorgeous red in the centre, which had somehow 
found its way into the interior from one of the military 
posts. This extraordinary individual performed a series of 
remarkable antics in front of the entrance to the two huts, 
strutting up and down, dancing, and assuming all sorts of 
ridiculous attitudes ; at the same time flourishing the 
showy blanket to what he considered the best advantage. 
In the very midst of an uncommonly dignified strut he 
suddenly unbent, and, diving forward, would have laid 
his hand on the rifle had not little Nat seen the move- 
ment in time to snatch the piece out of his reach. Carlo 
now thought it was high time for him to take a part in 
the performance, and, darting forward before anybody 
could stop him, gave the Ayan's calf a good pinch with 
his teeth. 
The medicine-man uttered a cry of pain and rage, and 
retreated, shaking his fist at the owners of the malevolent 
Newfoundland. He plainly meant mischief. 
" I thought all Indians wore tanned skins of animals, 
and had feathers stuck in their hair," said Nat, watching 
the retreating form of their uncouth caller. 
