The Secret of the Seal by Deborah Davis Read Free Book Online Page B

met George, who lived far to the south in a big city. He didn’t know much about him, except that his mother called him by his boyhood name, Ahko.
    George was a tall man with a heavy mustache and the biggest black boots Kyo had ever seen. George told lots of jokes, and when he laughed Kyo felt the tiny house shake. Kyo liked it when Uncle George picked him up and swung him around by his hands. He liked it even more when he rode on top of his tall uncle’s shoulders.
    That evening during supper, George told Kyo, Annawee, and Kudlah about the big city zoo. They had never been to a zoo. George described how the animals lived in large cages and how the zookeepers brought them their food and water once a day. He drew pictures of lions, giraffes, gazelles, zebras, monkeys, and other animals that lived there.
    “Do any seals live in the zoo?” asked Kyo.
    “No,” answered George, and Kyo smiled. He didn’t think Tooky would like to live in a cage. But George had more to say about seals and zoos.
    “No seals live there yet, Kyo. But I hope to change that.”
    “What do you mean, Brother?” asked Annawee.
    “The zoo has built a special cage with a water tank,” explained George. “They are offering a lot of money to someone who can sell them a healthy seal to live in it. So this is a very special trip for me. I get to see my sister and her family, and I will earn a good sum of money by bringing back to the city a plump, lively seal.”
    “I hope that you have come to the right place, Brother,” said Annawee. “We are happy to see you after such a long time, but the seals have not been so plentiful this spring.” Kudlah nodded his head in agreement.
    Annawee ladled second helpings of steaming, savory stew into the men’s bowls.When she came to Kyo’s place, he put his hand over his bowl.
    “No, thank you,” he said. “I am not hungry anymore.”

I n the morning Kyo ran all the way to Tooky’s hole. When the seal appeared, Kyo flung his arms around her neck, not waiting until the dry air had absorbed some of the moisture from her thick fur.
    “Oh, Tooky,” he exclaimed breathlessly, “you must be very careful! My uncle is looking for a seal just like you!”
    Tooky poked him with her nose.
    “Not today, Tooky. We can’t play out in the open today, and there’s no place for us to hide together. You’ll just have to go back into the ocean and stay away from here until my uncle returns to the city. And warn yourfriends. I don’t think you’d like to be captured and put in a cage.”
    The seal prodded him again.
    “I know you want to play,” Kyo said firmly. “But it’s too dangerous. My uncle might see us. Please go back into the water and hide.” He stepped away from the seal. She waddled after him.
    “No!” he cried. He pushed her gently toward the hole. “Go!” The seal gave him one long look, then slipped beneath the ice. Kyo walked back to his house, kicking at blurry clumps of ice and snow.

G eorge unloaded lumber and wire from the sledge behind the snowmobile. He began to build a large cage.
    “Come help me, Kyo!” George called to the boy, who watched him uneasily.
    Kyo hesitated. He liked this rare visitor and wanted to know him better, but didn’t want to help him capture any seals.
    “Kyo, I need an extra pair of hands to hold this wood in place while I nail it.”
    Kyo joined his uncle.
    “Where did you go this morning?” George asked.
    “For a walk,” Kyo replied.
    “It’s pretty quiet around here,” George went on. “What’s there for a boy to do?”
    “Lots of things,” Kyo answered eagerly. “In the summer I like to fish. When I catch one, I kill it and clean it and give it to my mother to cook for dinner. Sometimes my father takes me hunting. When the weather’s bad, I go to my collection of stones, pick one, and carve it.” He pulled the leather thong that hung around his neck out of his jacket. Attached was a smooth white stone shaped like a seal.
    “I have