The Pole by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online Page B

people reacted with nods and smiles.
    It was obvious what was going on. Matt was translating what the Commander was saying. But why didn’t Commander Peary just say it himself? Unless he couldn’t speak their language, and Matt could.
    â€œWe will be going north,” Commander Peary said. “But not just north … we will be going so far north that there will only be one direction left to travel … south.”
    Matt translated his words, and the Eskimos reacted. Some laughed, a few shook their heads, and a few—the younger men—actually stood up and nodded excitedly in agreement.
    â€œYou know that I know every Eskimo from Cape York to Etah,” Commander Peary said. “And of all those people, I have come to you, because I know the people of Etah are brave and strong, and that when others would turn back, they do not know fear.”
    Matt repeated his words.The excitement of a few seconds ago was replaced by looks of calm confidence, as if they maybe wouldn’t say such a thing themselves, but it was an obvious truth.
    â€œOver the next two days I will talk to people and select those who will come with us on our expedition.Thank you.”
    Once more Matt translated. I expected some sort of cheering or something. Instead, they slowly got to their feet and started to wander off, talking amongst themselves.
    Peary walked over and put his arm around one of the Eskimos, and then the two of them walked off together, trailed by the four members of the expedition. The older Eskimo pulled aside a skin curtain that hung over the doorway to one of the stone homes and ushered the men inside. Then he followed, letting the curtain swing shut.
    I looked over at Matt, who was putting the things back into the bag.
    â€œStay with me,” he said.
    No argument from me. He wouldn’t be leaving my sight, even if he tried!

CHAPTER SIX
    AFTER MATT HAD FINISHED putting away the gifts for the Eskimos, he walked over to the building that the Commander and the rest of the men had disappeared into. He stopped by the skin door, gently placed the bag against the wall, and turned to walk away.
    â€œAren’t we going in too?” I said.
    He shook his head. “Nothing worth seeing is going to be happening in there. Come, I’ll show you around and introduce you to some of my friends.”
    He started to walk and I fell in beside him.
    â€œWhat is goin’ to go on in there?” I asked.
    â€œSort of like a ceremony. The Commander is just going to exchange pleasantries with their leader— that older gentleman.”
    â€œDoes their leader speak English?” I asked. “Hardly any.”
    â€œShouldn’t you be in there to translate, then?”
    â€œCommander Peary will do fine.”
    â€œDoes he speak Eskimo?”
    â€œInuktitut is what it’s called,” Matt explained. “Yes, he speaks some.”
    â€œThen why did ya have to translate for ’im?”
    â€œHe speaks some . One or two words, mostly names of objects or orders.”
    â€œBut you speak it really well … right?”
    â€œI don’t know if really well would be right. I don’t know the words for a lot of things, and they tell me I say some words funny.”
    â€œBut if you and the Commander have both been up here the same length of time, shouldn’t he speak it as well as you do?” I asked.
    â€œHe’s a very bright man,” Matt said, “so I’m sure he could learn more if he felt the need. It’s just that he has enough command of the language to make his wishes known.”
    â€œSo why did you want to learn more?”
    â€œYou have a lot of questions,” Matt said.
    â€œSorry, sir,” I apologized, afraid that I had offended him.
    â€œDon’t apologize. I like that. Asking questions is how you learn about anything, and why I learned the language. How could I learn about these people and their lives if I couldn’t