Taking long strips of writing paper, the Hudson’s Bay man invented a cipher code in numbers from one to six hundred, some well known trading phrase placed opposite each number. This he rolled like a spool, so tight it was waterproof, sealed each end with wax, knocked the bung out of the whiskey barrel, bored a tiny hole beside the bung with his jack-knife, hooked a piece of twine through one end to the sealed message, the other to the inner end of the plug, thrust the paper inside the liquor and plugged up the hole. Then dusting all over with mud from the floor of the cabin, he complained the whiskey was musty--diluted with rum. He requested that it be sent back with orders for his men to cleanse the barrel. Before sending it back, the Nor’Westers actually sealed the barrel “contents unknown.” But what was Robertson’s disgust when the men of the fort instead of cleansing _this_ barrel, sent back a fresh one! Again he put his wits to work. Sending for a volume of Shakespeare’s plays, he wrote in fine pencil opposite Falstaff’s name: “Examine--the--first--keg.” The messenger, who went for the weekly supply, carried the Shakespeare back to the Hudson’s Bay fort. A week passed. No sign came from his men. Exasperated to the point of risk, Robertson tried a last expedient. The next week, the messenger carried an open letter to Robertson’s men. It was inspected by his captors but allowed to pass. It read: “To amuse myself, I am trying to throw into verse some of Falstaff’s good sayings. There is one expression where he blows out, ‘I am not a _wit_ but the cause of _wit_ in others.’ This sounds harsh. Please send exact words as in the play.” No doubt the Northwest partners thought poor Robertson far gone with liquor when he took to versifying. Back came word with the week’s supplies, stating that the volume of Shakespeare had been carried off to the fishery by one of the traders; but “would Mr. Robertson please let his men know if he wished the following traders to have the following supplies”--a string of figures conveying the joyful news that the cipher had been found; the Hudson’s Bay fort was on guard against surprise; the men were in good spirits; the Indians loyal; all things prosperous.