The Nor’Wester who had captured Robertson, was the same J. D. Campbell captured at this very place and sent down to Hudson’s Bay with Robertson’s aid two years before. Fortunately, this Northwest partner was deadly tired of the policy of gasconading violence. He told Robertson frankly he must either sign an oath never to return to Athabasca, or go a prisoner to Montreal. “I gave the fellow one look of perfect contempt,” writes Robertson. On his way down to Montreal, he succeeded in borrowing a few dollars from a friendly passer-by. At Wright’s Farm, near the present city of Ottawa, the brigade was ordered to rest for some days. Robertson knew it was only to enable constables to come up from Montreal to arrest him. When the order was given to embark, he seized a biscuit (his enemies say a crow-bar) and hurling it in the face of the Northwest partner, leveled his pistol and dared the whole company to take him. The Northwesters did not accept the challenge. They no doubt knew as Robertson says, “that most of the constables in Montreal were out after me.” After a few days’ rest at the wayside inn, the doughty Hudson’s Bay fighter rode like mad for American territory, pausing only to change horses at Montreal. “The night was dark. The rain fell in torrents. A faithful friend rode before day and night all the way.... At three in the morning ... we reached Plattsburg.” On the way to Montreal, Robertson had heard that the Nor’Westers were about to propose a union with the Hudson’s Bay, and he judged that he could serve his Company best by hurrying to London and pressing on the General Court the fact that the country was already in the hands of the Hudson’s Bay traders without any union. What was his amazement on taking ship at New York to find as fellow passengers two Northwest partners, Bethune and McLoughlin, now on the way to London to urge the union. “Hunting bees’ wings in their champagne glasses,” as Robertson describes their postprandial talks, the two Nor’Westers actually asked Robertson to introduce them to the Hudson’s Bay Company, but the feud lasted to the end of the voyage. “Wine went round freely and subscriptions were opened for the ship’s hands,” writes Robertson. “Our friend, the Nor’Wester, Dr. McLoughlin, had put down his name. I took the pen to put mine down, but seeing Bethune, the other Nor’Wester, waiting, said to Abbé Carriere: “‘Come Abbé, put down your name. I don’t want to sign between two Nor’Westers.’ “‘Never mind, Robertson,’ says the Abbé, ‘Christ was crucified between two thieves.’ “McLoughlin flew in a dreadful passion, but being a good Catholic, had to stomach it.” As the world knows, the embassy of the Nor’Westers was successful. The two companies were united, and the aforetime bitter rivals returned to serve the Hudson’s Bay for many a year as faithful friends and loyal partners.