w:

"I'm thinkin' 'twere that thief Injun Jake that shoots me."

"What makes you think so?" asked Doctor Joe.

"He were huntin' geese just below here, and he comes in and sits for a
bit. I had a silver fox skin I were holdin' for a better price than
they offers at Fort Pelican. 'Twere worth five hundred dollars
whatever, and they only offers three hundred. I were busy mendin' my
fishin' gear before I stows un away when Injun Jake comes. We talks
about fur and I brings the silver out t' show he. Then I lays un on
the table and keeps on mendin' the gear after he goes, thinkin' to put
the fur up after I gets through mendin'."

"What time did Indian Jake come?" asked Doctor Joe.

"A bit after noon. Handy to one o'clock 'twere, for I were just
boilin' the kettle. He eats a snack with me."

"How long did he stay? What time did he go?"

"I'm not knowin' just the time. I were a bit late boilin' the kettle.
I boiled un around one o'clock. We sets down to the table about ten
after and 'twere handy to half-past when we clears the table. Then
Injun Jake has a smoke, and I shows he the silver, and I'm thinkin'
'twere a bit after two when he goes. He said he were goin' to stop on
Flat P'int last night and get to Tom Angus's to-night whatever."

"A little after two o'clock when he left?"

"Maybe 'twere half-past. He had a down wind to paddle agin', and he
were sayin' 'twould be slow travellin', and 'twould take three or four
hours whatever to make Flat P'int."

"And then what happened?"

"I were settin' mendin' the gear thinkin' to finish un and stow un
away, and I keeps at un till just sundown. I were just gettin' up to
put the kettle on for supper. That's all I remembers, exceptin' I
wakes up two or three times and tries to move, but when I tries
there's a wonderful hurt in my shoulder, and my head feels like she's
bustin', and everything goes black in front of my eyes. If the fur's
gone, Injun Jake took un."

"It's strange," said Doctor Joe, "very strange. There's a bullet in
your shoulder. After you rest a while we'll probe for it and see if we
can get it out. Don't talk any more. Just lie quietly and sleep if you
can."

The boys were out-of-doors. Doctor Joe was glad they had not heard
Lem's accusation against Indian Jake. The half-breed had been good to
them, and they held vast faith in his integrity. There was some hope
that Lem's suspicions were not well founded; nevertheless Doctor Joe
was forced to admit to