you will have much
trade."

It developed in the course of conversation that the Indians were
preparing to move at once to the Lake of Willows (Petitsikapau), to
the northwest, in the hope of meeting caribou, for none had been seen
by them since those they had killed in early fall.

They were to cache some of their provisions near the Great Lake; and
when they had made a sufficient kill in the North to supply them with
food, were to return to their cache near the Great Lake to trap
martens, for in the more northerly country, where wide barrens take
the place of forests, martens are rarely to be found.

"Bob, here's a chance I've been hoping for," said Shad, when Bob
interpreted to him the Indians' plan. "Do you think they would be
willing to let me go with them until their return here, if I gave them
some tobacco?"

"They's no tellin', Shad, how long they'll be away," suggested Bob.

"But I want to go if they'll let me go. Please ask them," insisted
Shad.

"But they may not be findin' deer, an' if they don't find un they
won't be comin' back here till th' end o' winter. You don't want t' be
with un th' rest o' th' winter, Shad; 'twill be rougher cruisin' than
with us," Bob warned.

"Ask them. I'm going if they'll have me along;" and Shad displayed in
his tone a suggestion of resentment that Bob should question the
advisability of anything upon which he had determined.

The Indians discussed the matter at some length before finally giving
Bob an affirmative decision.

"They says you can go, Shad, but they'll not promise t' be back here
for two months, whatever, an' when they does they'll come t' th' river
tilt with you," said Bob.

"Good! It'll give me some change of experience, and the chance to
study their life and customs that I've wanted;" and Shad was elated
with the prospect.

Partly because of the earnest solicitation of his Indian friends, but
chiefly in the hope of dissuading Shad from his determination, Bob
remained in the Indian camp the remainder of the week. While they
still maintained a degree of reserve toward Shad, Bob was treated in
every respect as one of them.

Manikawan made him the object of her particular attention. She waited
upon him as the Indian women wait upon their lords, anticipating his
needs.

In expectation of his coming she had, after her return from the river
tilt, made for him a beautiful coat of caribou skins. The hair, left
on the skins, made a warm lining, while th