The Pole by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online Page A

scraped against the rocks.
    The Commander stood beside one man—one Eskimo. He looked really old, but I thought that he must be important. Maybe he was like the mayor or leader or whatever Eskimos have. One by one Peary introduced him to the four members of his expedition. I stood by the dory with the rest of the crew. Off to the side stood Matt, and while there were no other members of our party with him he was surrounded by people, by Eskimos. While Commander Peary was shaking hands, slapping a back here and there, Matt was being offered hugs and kisses and was practically being mobbed. Peary’swelcome was warm, but Matt was being embraced like a long-lost family member.
    Peary started to walk away and everybody trailed after him—the Eskimos and the members of the expedition. Matt broke free and started after Peary as well. I thought I’d just stay at the dory with the crew.
    â€œDanny!” Peary yelled, startling me. “Come!” And I ran after him.
    I fell into line behind Matt. I noticed then for the first time that Matt was carrying a bag over his shoulder. It looked heavy, and it made a clanking sound as he moved.
    â€œWhat’s in the bag?” I asked.
    â€œMy lunch.”
    â€œBut didn’t you eat on the… ?” I let the sentence trail off as Matt broke into a big smile and I realized he was just kidding me.
    â€œStay close and you’ll see,” Matt said. He didn’t need to say that again. I was planning on staying very close.
    Everybody said how nice the Eskimos were— and they sure seemed friendly—but I felt nervous. Everything was so different, and I didn’t understand a word anybody was saying, and to make it all worse my legs felt strange … it was hard getting my land legs back after being aboard ship for so long. It felt like the ground was moving, swaying underneath me.
    The people weren’t tall—a lot were barely taller than me—and they were all dressed strangely in skins. I noticed they had olive skin, hair as dark as night, and teeth as white as snow.The teeth stood out because everybody seemed to be smiling.
    There were also lots of dogs, tied to stakes in the ground, beside almost every building. Sometimes it was only a few dogs. Other times there were ten or more. Some of the dogs were just quietly sitting or lying down, but some were snarling or snapping or scrapping with each other, or barking greetings at us.The dogs didn’t look friendly.
    Commander Peary and the party stopped walking, and the men—at least a dozen of them—spread out in a circle around a small, smouldering fire. Everybody, with the exception of the Commander, sat down on the ground. Then Matt came forward and placed his bag on the ground by Peary.
    Slowly, deliberately, Peary untied the bag. He reached in and pulled out … a metal pot? What was he doing with a pot? He held it over his head, like he was showing it off, and judging by the reaction of the Eskimos gathered around watching, it had impressed them. He placed the pot on the ground and reached into the bag again.This time he pulled out a knife—a long knife. He held it up, and the blade glittered as it caught the rays of the sun. There were more nods and smiles from the Eskimos.
    It did look like a nice knife. He placed it on the ground beside the pot. Next he pulled out a long, metal spearhead. This time the reaction was very noticeable. There was a general nodding of heads, smiles, and excited conversations broke out among the Eskimos.
    â€œThese are from me!” Peary proclaimed loudly. “For those men who come with me on this trip!”
    Matt stepped forward and yelled out some words. I couldn’t understand what he was saying.They were strange, hard-sounding words … it had to be Eskimo he was talking.
    â€œI have more presents for all the men, women, and children who come with us!” Peary said.
    Matt spoke—again in Eskimo talk—and