And for the rest I don't care. I had some wood stacked for you. That was my old house. Did you see?”

“I gave him Towson's book. He made as though he would kiss me, but restrained himself. 'The only book I had left, and I thought I had lost it,” he said, looking at it ecstatically. 'So many accidents happen to a man going about alone, you know. Canoes get upset sometimes — and sometimes you've got to clear out so quick when the people get angry.” He thumbed the pages.

'You made notes in Russian?” I asked. He nodded. 'I thought they were written in cipher,” I said. He laughed, then became serious. 'I had lots of trouble to keep these people off,” he said. 'Did they want to kill you?” I asked. 'Oh, no!” he cried, and checked himself. 'Why did they attack us?”