Free Between Two Worlds by Katherine Kirkpatrick

everything dries out. Our cabin smells nasty! It’s so cold my oatmeal freezes in my bowl! Captain Bartlett says we’ll be trapped in the ice for eleven months. I’m
happy
that the ship can’t move—”
    Mitti Peary said, “The ship locked in ice is not something to be happy about.”
    “But, Mother, now I can see Billy Bah and Akitsinnguaq and Qaorlutoq. At home, I’d be at school.”
    Mitti Peary’s chest rose and fell in an enormous sigh. Tooth Girl and her mother and grandmother all asked me what Marie said. I did my best to translate, though soon my throat felt dry from talking so much.
    “Don’t bother repeating every little story of Marie’s,” Mitti Peary said. “I have something important to say.” I could feel her thinking and planning. “Marie and I need good, winter fur clothes like yours. We have needles andother supplies we can give you and your friends. Can you help us, Billy Bah?”
    What joy! Mitti Peary wanted
me
to sew for her! I caught my breath and began to translate, but Ally beat me to it. She knew some English, of course. I let her talk.
    One by one, all the women said they would help.
    Ally beamed her lovely smile at Mitti Peary. “Yes, we can all sew clothes for you.”
    I translated for the old woman, Navarana. She told Mitti Peary, “To survive the winter, you and your daughter will need
kapatait
, mittens, leggings, fox skin trousers, and women’s boots:
kamiit
.”
    Marie clapped her hands in delight.
    Our women talked noisily. Making clothing required a great number of animal pelts and furs. To obtain them, our men would spend one or two moons hunting and trapping. Mitti Peary said she’d provide guns and ammunition as rewards.
    “Our men will be glad we have work.” I smiled. For the first time in my life, I’d negotiated an exchange. Angulluk would be happy and the sewing would mean an opportunity to see Duncan.
    Tooth Girl dumped a pile of tiny ivory animals on the musk ox fur bedding. She and Marie hopped and flew them around and gave the animals voices like peeping chicks.
    As she held Sammy, Ally looked at me smugly. She, too, had translated for Mitti Peary. Or perhaps she was showing off her baby. I looked away.
    Her voice low, she said to me in our language, “I’ll be the one to make Marie’s
kapatak
.”
    “Certainly not,” I said firmly. “Marie is my special friend.
I’ll
make her
kapatak
.”
    The
kapatak
is the most beautiful and important garment of our people. A hooded fur coat shows the skill and artistry of its maker. “You can sew Marie’s mittens,” she said.
    “I will not!” I snapped. “Don’t insult me.”
    Ally smiled sweetly. “You can sew better than any of us—that’s true! But that doesn’t give you the right to make Marie’s
kapatak
. Other matters count more.”
    “I know, and I
do
have the right.” My voice rose. “It’s not just that I can sew better than you. Marie and I are like sisters. I cared for her in America.”
    “Hold your tongue!” old Navarana hissed to Ally.
    Ally pouted with her full lips. Mitti Peary frowned. How much did she understand?
    Ally craftily switched to English. She looked straight at Mitti Peary. “I will make Marie’s coat! Don’t forget, Marie is Sammy’s sister:
Sammy is Pearyaksoah’s son
.”
    Mitti Peary looked like she’d been snapped with a dog whip. Her eyes popped open and her jaw dropped. She spoke low.
“Sammy is Lieutenant Peary’s son?”
    “Yes.” Ally looked especially self-satisfied. “The Great Peary is my baby’s father.”
    I could hardly believe that Ally would be so foolish as to boast of her relationship with Peary to his wife. I’dthought Ally understood the
qallunaat
better, that they do not trade their wives or have more than one. I’d assumed Peary had never told Mitti Peary about Ally—and I was right. I looked over at Marie, who was busy with Tooth Girl.
    Mitti Peary straightened her back and brushed hairs off her dress. “I see.” She puckered