conversation and Benson, who understood him
best, told Harding that he had been trapping in the neighbourhood. His
tribe lived some distance off, and though there were some Stonies not
far away, he would not go to them for supplies. They were, he said,
quarrelsome people.

Harding looked interested when he heard this and made Benson ask
exactly where the Stony village lay; and when he had been told he
lighted his pipe and said nothing for the next half hour. Rain had
begun to fall, and though they had built a rude shelter of earth and
stones to keep off the wind in place of the tent, which had been
abandoned to save weight, the raw damp seemed to reach their bones. It
was not the place to nurse a fever patient in and Harding was getting
anxious. He had led his comrade into the adventure and felt
responsible for him; moreover, he had a strong affection for the
helpless man. Blake was very ill and something must be done to save
him, but for a time Harding could not see how help could be obtained.
Then an idea crept into his mind, and he got Benson to ask the Indian a
few more questions about the locality. When they were answered he
began to see his way, but he waited until supper was over before he
spoke of his plan.

It was getting dark and raining hard; Blake was asleep, the Indian
sitting silent, and the fire crackled noisily, throwing up a wavering
light against the surrounding gloom.

"I suppose I needn't consider you a friend of Clarke's?" Harding
remarked.

"There's no reason why I should feel grateful to him, though I can't
blame him for all my misfortunes," Benson replied.

"That clears the ground. Well, it must have struck you that the
fellow's account of the whereabouts of the Stony camp doesn't agree
with what the prospectors and this Indian told us. He fixed the
locality further west and a good deal farther off from where we are
now. Looks as if he didn't want us to reach the place."

"He's a scheming brute, but I can't see his object in deceiving us."

"We'll leave that point for a minute. You must allow it's curious that
when we asked him for the easiest way he sent us through these hills
and muskegs; particularly as you have learned from the Indian that we
could have got north with much less trouble had we headed further west."

"If that's true, it has an ugly look," Benson answered thoughtfully.

"Very well; I'm going to put the thing before you as I see it. Clarke
has lent you mon