at Nain, twenty miles to the northward, the two families were dependent
upon one another for human companionship, and therefore the bond of
friendship that drew them together was the stronger.

And so it happened that early on the morning following the return of
Abel and Mrs. Abel with Bobby, Skipper Ed and Jimmy walked over to
welcome their neighbors home, and to discuss with them the fishing
season just closed, and the seal hunting and the trapping seasons which
were at hand.

Abel was engaged in cutting and shaping the sticks from which he was to
build Bobby's little bunk, when he heard Skipper Ed's cheery:

"_Oksunae!_"[A]

"_Oksutingal!_"[A] exclaimed Abel, delightedly, grasping Skipper Ed's
hand and then Jimmy's hand and laughing with pleasure. "_Oksutingai_! I
am glad to see you, and how have you been?"

[Footnote A: "_Oksunae_" is the Eskimo greeting when one is addressed, and,
literally translated, means "You be strong." "_Oksutingai"_ is addressed
to two--"You two be strong." "_Okiusee"_ to more than two--"You all be
strong."]

Abel spoke his native language, for his tongue was awkward with the few
English words he had learned. He and Skipper Ed, indeed, always
conversed in Eskimo, and Jimmy, though he usually spoke his native
English at home when he and Skipper Ed were alone, also understood the
Eskimo tongue perfectly.