"Ho, wake up, koda!" exclaimed Anooka-
san. "Maybe he is of the porcupine tribe,
ashamed to look at us!"
At this moment they spied the haunch of
venison which swung from a cross-stick over
a fine bed of coals, in front of the rude mud
chimney.
"Ho, koda has something to eat! Sit down,
sit down!" they shouted to one another.
Now Antoine opened his eyes for the first
time upon his unlooked-for guests. They were
a haggard and hungry-looking set. Anookasan
extended his hand, and Antoine gave it a hearty
shake. He set his fiddle against the wall and
began to cut up the smoking venison into gen-
erous pieces and place it before them. All ate
like famished men, while the firelight intensified
the red paint upon their wild and warlike faces.
When he had satisfied his first hunger,
Anookasan spoke in signs. "Friend, we have
never before heard a song like that of your
little cedar box! We had supposed it to be a
spirit, or some harmful thing, hence our attack
upon it. We never saw any people of your
sort.
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