long he'd been there, I could not tell; I
had been absent for perhaps two hours. I tried to find out how he'd
come, but he pretended not to understand; so, as I know no Cree, our
conversation wasn't very lengthy. At first, however, in spite of the
danger of his discovering who I was and what I was doing there, I was
pleased to see him, for I was getting moody and low-spirited with
living by myself. I tried to be content with supposing that he was a
trapper, who had strayed out of his district and had lighted on me by
accident.

"We sat by the fire outside the hut and smoked together, smiling and
exchanging signs every now and then, to show that we were friendly.
But I watched him closely, and soon perceived that he was far more
knowing than he was willing to admit; I began to believe that he had
visited me with a purpose. I hadn't allowed him inside the hut for
fear he should see the pit, which was uncovered, and should guess the
secret or get suspicious; but I noticed that, whenever he thought that
I was not watching, his eyes would slowly turn in that direction. I
determined to put him to the test. Though it was as yet quite early, I
built up the fire for the night and signed to him that I was sleepy.
He nodded his head and went on smoking; so I lay down and feigned to
close my eyes. I must have fallen asleep, for when I woke the blaze
had died down to a mound of charcoal and glowing ash, with here and
there a little spurt of flame. When I looked stealthily round, I
discovered that my companion was missing, but by listening I could
hear a sound of moving within the hut. Just then I saw his figure
coming out, so I lay down as though I had never wakened. He stood in
the doorway smiling to himself, holding something which sparkled in
his hand. Then he returned to the fire and sat down quite near to me,
so that he could watch my face.

"I suppose I must have betrayed myself for, without any warning, he
flung himself upon me, slipping a noose about my neck as I attempted
to rise, which he drew tight, so that I was nearly strangled. Standing
behind me, jerking at the noose, he commanded me to hold up my hands.
I was too choked and dazed for struggle, so did as he bade me. When he
had bound me hand and foot, and gagged me, he threw me inside the hut
and, without a word of explanation, departed down-stream on his
journey.

"I tried to burst the thongs, but they were too stout either to loosen
or to break. I wormed my way