moonless. It was well we did not see the white turmoil, else M.
Radisson had had a mutiny on his hands. When the canoe leaped to the
throb of the sucking currents like a cataract to the plunge, La
Chesnaye clapped his pole athwart and called out a curse on such
rashness. M. Radisson did not hear or did not heed. An ice-pan
pitched against La Chesnaye's place, and the merchant must needs thrust
out to save himself.

The only light was the white glare of ice. The only guide across that
heaving traverse, the unerring instinct of that tall figure at the bow,
now plunging forward, now bracing back, now shouting out a "Steady!"
that the wind carried to our ears, thrusting his pole to right, to left
in lightning strokes, till the canoe suddenly darted up the roaring
current of the north river.

Here we could no longer stem both wind and tide. M. Radisson ordered
us ashore for rest. Fourteen days were we paddling, portaging,
struggling up the north river before we came in range of the Hudson's
Bay fort built by Governor Brigdar.

Our proximity was heralded by a low laugh from M. de Radisson. "Look,"
said he, "their ship aground in mud a mile from the fort. In case of
attack, their forces will be divided. It is well," said M. Radisson.

The Prince Rupert lay high on the shallows, fast bound in the freezing
sands. Hiding our canoe in the woods, we came within hail and called.
There was no answer.

"Drunk or scurvy," commented M. Radisson. "An faith, Ramsay, 'twould
be an easy capture if we had big enough fort to hold them all!"

Shaping his hands to a trumpet, he shouted, "How are you, there?"

As we were turning away a fellow came scrambling up the fo'castle and
called back: "A little better, but all asleep."

"A good time for us to examine the fort," said M. de Radisson.

Aloud, he answered that he would not disturb the crew, and he wheeled
us off through the woods.

"See!" he observed, as we emerged in full view of the stockaded fur
post, "palisades nailed on from the inside--easily pushed loose from
the outside. Pish!--low enough for a dog to jump."

Posting us in ambush, he advanced to the main edifice behind the
wide-open gate. I saw him shaking hands with the Governor of the
Hudson's Bay Company, who seemed on the point of sallying out to hunt.

Then he signalled for us to come. I had almost concluded he meant to
capture Governor Brigdar on the spot; but Pierre Radisson ever took
friends and fo