"
These remarks of the children caused all in the canoe to more closely scan
the great round moon that was shining with silvery whiteness straight in
front of them.
"There are lots of stories about the moon among our people," said Mary,
"but not a great many about the man in the moon. There is, however, a queer
one about how he came down and helped a poor orphan boy."
"O, tell it to us just now," said Minnehaha, "while he is watching and
listening."
"Do, Mary," said Sagastao, "and Minnehaha and I will watch the old fellow
and see how he likes to be talked about."
"Well," said Minnehaha, "Mary will be talking to him to his face, and not
behind his back, as people sometimes do when talking about others."
Thus the children ran on with their prattle. Mary and Kennedy were much
amused.
"Come, Mary, hurry up! Father said the gloaming would end about eleven, and
we must be at the shore by that time."
"Pretty late hours for little children," said Kennedy.
"Never mind that," said Sagastao; "we will make up for it in winter time,
when it gets dark at four o'clock."
With Sagastao on one side of her in the big canoe and Minnehaha on the
other--their favorite positions when listening to her fascinating stories
as she crooned them out in her soft, musical Cree--Mary told them the
story.
"Long ago," she began, "there was a poor orphan boy who had neither father
nor mother, uncle, aunt, nor any living relative that he knew of.
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