curvy treatment for an old friend.

"Old friend," laughed Radisson afterward. "Did the cub's hangdog of a
father not offer a thousand pounds for my head on the end of a pikestaff?"

But with Ben he played the game out.

"The season is too far advanced for you to _escape_," says he with soft
emphasis.

"'Tis why I want a treaty," answers the sailor.

"Come, then," laughs the Frenchman, "now--as to terms----"

"Name them," says Gillam.

"If you don't wish to be discovered----"

"I don't wish to be discovered!"

"If you don't wish to be discovered don't run up a flag!"

"One," says Gillam.

"If you don't wish to be discovered, don't let your people leave the
island!"

"They haven't," says Gillam.

"What?" asks M. Radisson, glancing sharply at me; for we were both
thinking of that night attack.

"They haven't left the island," repeats Gillam.

"Ten lies are as cheap as two," says Radisson to us. Then to Gillam,
"Don't let your people leave the island, or they'll meet my forces."

"Two," says Gillam.

"If you don't wish the Fur Company to discover you, don't fire guns!"

"Three," says Gillam.

"That is to keep 'em from connecting with those inlanders," whispered
Godefroy, who knew the plays of his master's game better than I. "We can
beat 'em single; but if Ben joins the inlanders and the Fur Company
against us----"

Godefroy completed his prophecy with an ominous shake of the head.

"My men shall not know you are here," M. Radisson was promising.

"One," counts Gillam.

"I'll join with you against the English ships!"

Young Gillam laughed derisively.

"My father commands the Hudson's Bay ship," says he.

"Egad, yes!" retorts M. Radisson nonchalantly, "but your father doesn't
command the governor of the Fur Company, who sailed out in his ship."

"The governor does not know that I am here," flouts Ben.

"But he would know if I told him," adds M. de Radisson, "and if I told
him the Company's captain owned half the ship poaching on the Company's
preserve, the Company's captain and the captain's son might go hang for
all the furs they'd get! By the Lord, youngster, I rather suspect both
the captain and the captain's son would be whipped and hanged for the
theft!"

Ben gave a start and looked hard at Radisson. 'Twas the first time, I
think, the cub realized that the pawn in so soft-spoken a game was his
own neck.

"Go on," he said, with haste and fear in his look. "I promised three
te