e, and when he had left them, Blake sat
silent for a while. Though he and Benson had never been intimate
friends, it did not seem fitting to leave him in the clutches of a man
who was ruining him in health and fortune. He would rather not have
met the man at all; but, since they had met, there seemed to be only
one thing to be done.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to take Benson with us," he said to
Harding.

The American looked doubtful.

"We could do with another white man; but I guess your friend isn't the
kind we want. He may give us trouble; and you can't count on much help
from a whisky-tank. However, if you wish it, you can bring him."

Soon afterward Benson came out from the dining-room. He was two or
three years younger than Blake and had a muscular figure, but he looked
shaky and his face was weak and marked by dissipation. Smiling in a
deprecatory way, he lighted a cigar.

"I'm afraid I made a fool of myself last night," he said. "If I made
any unfortunate allusions, you must overlook them. You must have seen
that I wasn't altogether responsible."

"I did," Blake answered curtly. "If we are to remain friends, you'd
better understand that I can't tolerate any further mention of the
matter you talked about."

"Sorry," responded Benson, giving him a keen glance. "Though I don't
think you have much cause to be touchy about it, I'll try to remember."

"Then I'd like you to know my partner, Mr. Harding, who has agreed to a
suggestion I'm going to make. We want you to come with us on a trip to
the northern bush."

"Thanks," said Benson, shaking hands with Harding. "I wonder what use
you think I would be?"

"To tell the truth, I haven't considered whether you would be of any
use or not. The trip will brace you up, and you look as if you needed
it."

Benson's face grew red.

"Your intentions may be good, but you virtuous and respectable people
sometimes show a meddlesome thoughtfulness which degenerates like
myself resent. Besides, I suspect your offer has come too late."

"I don't think you have much reason for taunting me with being
respectable," Blake answered with a grim smile. "Anyway, I want you to
come with us."

Tilting back his chair, Benson looked heavily about.

"When I was new to the country, I often wished to go North," he said.
"There are caribou and moose up yonder; great sights when the rivers
break up in the spring; and a sled trip across the snow must be a thing
to r