The Curse of the Viking Grave Read Free

hide, and with a barely suppressed smile on his lips he held out the parcel to Peetyuk.
    â€œIt must be that my daughter Angeline does not think the Ayuskeemo *2 can make good boots,” he explained. “And so she sends you these…”
    The parcel contained two pairs of beautifully worked moosehide moccasins, elaborately decorated with red,green and gold beadwork. Peetyuk stood holding them in his hands, much embarrassed, and uncertain what to do or say.
    â€œNow you’re in trouble, Pete!” Jamie cried joyfully. “When a Cree girl makes moccasins for a fellow…that’s the end of him. Isn’t that right, Awasin?”
    Awasin nodded his head solemnly. “That is so. And my sister has never made moccasins for any man before. I must watch you close, Peetyuk. I am her brother, do not forget!”
    Peetyuk, his face almost as red as his hair, turned in dismay to Awasin, who stared sternly back at him. “But I do nothing,” he cried. “Not speak her at all, even.”
    Peetyuk’s torment was cut short by Alphonse, who turned to address Angus. “Yesterday morning I passed close to the Idthen Eldeli camp at Kasmere Lake and the women were wailing the death songs. Before I could go to the tents I was stopped by the old chief, Denikazi. He said there was a great sickness in the camp, and already some had died. All were sick except himself and some old people and the hunters Penyatzi and Madees, and these two he had sent south to seek aid from the white men.”
    Angus’s face clouded.
    â€œ ’Tis bad news you bring, Alphonse. Do ye ken what ails them?”
    â€œOnly that it is a lung sickness. It brings the burning fevers and then the chill that kills.”
    â€œThen there’s little doot about it,” Angus muttered half to himself. “ ’Tis influenza, certain sure. They would have brought it back wi’ them from the Christmas visit to themission.” He looked up and asked sharply. “How are your ane people, Alphonse? Any sickness amongst them?”
    Alphonse shook his head. “We are well. And I have sent two sledloads of whitefish to Denikazi’s camp so that his people will not starve.”
    Angus placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Aye,” he said, “ye would do all ye can to help. But hark now. Your people must have nae mair contact with they Chips. I’ll see to it they get food. Influenza does na’ strike white men as it does the Indians. And I have some good news. The deer are coming south. Me and the lads wull give over trapping for the time being and wi’ a few of your men to help, we’ll hunt meat for Denikazi’s band.”
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    Alphonse’s news brought about a drastic change in the boys’ lives. Schooling stopped entirely and so did trapping. The following morning they set out for the country north and east of Thanout Lake where Angus had encountered the deer, leaving Angus to make the round of their traplines and spring all the traps. They had orders to travel hard until they were well into the herds and to kill all the deer they could in two days’ hunting. Then they were to cache what they could not carry and head for the Idthen Eldeli camps with fully laden carioles. Angus was to meet them near the sickness camp and deliver the meat to Denikazi’s people.
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    The boys encountered the first deer on the south shores of Kasmere Lake but, mindful of their instructions, theycontinued northeast down the Kasmere River until they were in the midst of the drifting herds.
    They quickly made camp and for two days hunted caribou which congregated on the myriad little lakes of the district. Two of the boys would hide with rifles ready while the third drove his team out onto the ice and panicked the deer into headlong flight toward the ambush.
    By the end of the second day some twenty deer had been killed and readied for carrying. The following morning the