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"Yes; my friends are poor and they will sell cheaply, for food to astarving person is better than the most costly skins."
Old Buckskin whispered:
"Be on your guard."
Allen nodded.
Remember Baker was bolder and asked the French Canadian how he knewthey wanted skins.
The man laughed, and answered with an appearance of genuine truth:
"I was at La Mull and heard the monsieur ask about skins."
"Then why did you not speak?"
"I had to see if my friends would sell."
"And you saw the sample?"
"I saw the skin that trapper carried."
That seemed satisfactory, and Allen was quite prepared to follow theCanadian.
Eben was the next to express a doubt. He drew Allen on one side.
"I have seen him somewhere before; do not trust him."
"Imagination, my dear Eben, pure imagination. The man is a FrenchCanadian."
The man had stood on one side, apparently taking no notice of thewhispered conversation, but a close observer would have seen that hewas watching through the corner of his eye every movement, and if hecould read the lips, as so many of his countrymen could, he doubtlessknew what was being said.
"Will the monsieur come and see the skins?" he asked.
"Yes; lead on."
The man led the way and Allen and his little band followed.
Many times the guide turned round to see if all were following.
A dense wood lay right before them, and the prospect did not seem veryinviting, though no danger could come to them, seeing that they weresix in all, and the Frenchman was alone.
"Where are you taking us?" Allen asked.
"To where the skins are."
"How far is it?"
"Not far; if my friends did not want the money very badly I should notbother so much."
As he spoke he fell back so that he was beside Ethan Allen.
"You come from York?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Ah, monsieur, it is a pity that the Yorkers like us not."
"But they do like you."
