rack of him. I haven't
seen him in twenty years. Fine man, he is, though."

"You're a Hudson Bay man, then?" Donald inquired.

"Oh, my, yes! Been one all my life, and my boys are trapping for
the Company now, down on the English River district. That's where
I came from."

"Well, you hadn't better stay here any longer than you can help,
or you'll never get away. These fellows are free-traders, you know."

"I gathered as much from that loose-mouthed jay, Baptiste. The
reason I spoke to you is that I want to find out where I can lay
hold of Angus Fitzpatrick, the Fort Severn factor. Had a little
trouble in my section, and I thought I'd just shift up here for a
while. I've lost most of the season now, and I've got to get busy."

Donald outlined briefly the position of the factor and the reason
that took him away from the fort at this time of the year. Then an
idea, full-clothed, leaped into his mind.

"You've seen that pile of furs over there, haven't you?" he asked,
indicating the rich haul of the free-traders.

"Yes."

"Well, I want you to investigate them on the sly, and learn about
how many there are. I'm the captain of a post on the Dickey River,
and I engage you now as my messenger and representative. Give up
your idea of trapping for this winter. I've plenty for you to do.
No one knows anything about you here, and I think you can get away
without being stopped.

"Drive like the devil to the Hudson Bay camp twenty miles up the
lake, and tell old Fitzpatrick the best inventory of furs you can
secure before you leave. Then, tell him to quit worrying about
these free-traders here. Tell him there is a huge train of trading
supplies from a French company within thirty miles of this camp
somewhere, and say that, if he wants to put an end to this business
to capture that train before it arrives.

"These men will starve here in a little while, if they don't lay
in a lot of grub, for what they stole the other day can't last very
long. Now, if the Frenchies get through with their trains first,
Fitzpatrick will have a devil of a time beating these men. They
are determined and brainy, at least the leader is, and they have
a catch of unusually fine furs--a remarkable catch. Tell him, if
he wants to break the back of this trouble, to stop that French
train. Last of all, ask him to have ten men with provisions go to
the big pine at Muskeg Point, and wait there till I come. It may
be several days but I'll come somehow.