gish
and deep, and here they kept their canoes. These Kakisas used both
dug-outs, for the lake, and bark-canoes for the river. The main body of
the lake stretched to the west and south: off to Stonor's right it
gradually narrowed down to the ordinary dimensions of the river.

When Stonor reined up alongside the little stream not a soul was
stirring outside the tepees. He had at least succeeded in taking them by
surprise. The first man who stuck his head out, aroused by the dogs,
was, to his astonishment, white. But when Stonor got a good look at him
he could scarcely credit his eyes. It was none other than Hooliam, the
handsome young blackguard he had deported from Carcajou Point two months
before. Seeing the policeman, Hooliam hastily made to withdraw his head,
but Stonor ordered him out in no uncertain terms. He obeyed with his
inimitable insolent grin.

Stonor dismounted, letting his reins hang. The well-trained horse stood
where he left him. "What are you doing here?" the policeman demanded.

"Just travelling," drawled Hooliam. "Any objection?"

"I'll take up your case later. First I want the white man Ernest Imbrie.
Which tepee is he in?"

Hooliam stared, and a peculiar grin wreathed itself around his lips.
"I've seen no white man here," he said. "Except myself. They call me a
white man." He spoke English without a trace of the red man's clipped
idiom.

Stonor's glance of scorn was significant. It meant: "What are you doing
in the tepees, then?"

But the other was quite unabashed. "I'll get Myengeen for you," he said,
turning to go.

He seemed a bit too eager. Stonor laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"You stay where you are."

Meanwhile the little Kakisas had begun to appear from the tepees, the
men hanging back bashfully, the women and children peering from under
flaps and under the edges of the tepees, with scared eyes.

"I want Myengeen," said Stonor to the nearest man.

All heads turned to a figure crossing the stream. Stonor waited for him,
keeping an eye on Hooliam meanwhile. The individual who approached was a
little larger than the average of the Kakisas; well-favoured, and with a
great shock of blue-black hair hanging to his neck. He was quite
sprucely dressed in store clothes. His close-set eyes and extremely
short upper lip gave him a perpetual sneer. He had the walled look of a
bold child caught in mischief. He came up to Stonor and offered his hand
with a defiant air, saying: "How!"

S