ANIMAL STORIES 155 He arranged a hook to string his eels upon, and took his seat at the top of the slide. But when he tried to slide, he found it was not so easy as he thought. He hitched, and he caught, and he bumped along, until at last he plunged into the water. The water was cold, and took away his breath. He struggled and gasped and was nearly drowned, for he could not swim. "What on earth is the matter with him?" Keoonik asked the old grandmother, who was looking on in amazement. "Oh, I suppose he has seen some one else do that, and he thinks he can do it too," answered the grandmother. " Come out! Come out of that," called Keoonik, "and give me your stick." Shiver¬ ing with cold, and almost drowned, poor Ablee- gumooch came crawling out of the water, and limped to the lodge, where his grandmother gave him a hot drink to stop his chills. In the meantime Keoonik, the Otter, plunged into the water and very soon came up with a string of eels. But he was so disgusted at the actions of Ableegumooch, who was so silly as to try to do something he knew nothing about, that he would eat no dinner, and went away home—which of course was a great insult. And Ableegumooch vowed that sometime he would get even with the Otter.