"You know why we are here in this strange land, then?" he remarked, chiefly to draw the other out, so that something might be learned concerning the whereabouts of Jasper Williams. "Yes, eet is all plain to me vy you come here," Lascelles assured him, nodding as he spoke. "I haf made sure zat ze paper you could nevaire secure. I haf already ze Williams a prisoner in anuzzer camp, vere my son Alexis and ze brave French comrades zay watch heem like ze weasel." "You mean that Jasper Williams is a prisoner, do you?" asked Dick, while Roger listened eagerly, trying to read the grinning countenance of Lascelles, and determine whether he was speaking the truth, or concocting a lie for some evil purpose. "Zat ees vat I am saying," continued Lascelles; "I haf arranged zat he may be taken to ze village of Black Otter, and adopted into ze tribe. Ze big chief haf long wished to haf ze white man show zem many things zat zey do not know. Williams nevaire come back from ze Blackfoot country. Eet is many days' journey into ze cold Northwest, and no white man has ever seen the wigwams of Black Otter." "But what will you do with us; I hope you will not send us with the Blackfeet also?" asked Dick, still seeking information. "I haf not yet made up my mind, but pouf! vat does it matter to me? So zat you may not send ze word down to ze town on zat Missouri I care not vat becomes of ze Armstrong vermin. I haf Williams, and now both ends zey are tied up. Zat ees well!" "You will have to prove it before I believe Williams is your prisoner!" said Dick. "Ah! zat ees easy," retorted the Frenchman; "you haf seen zis knife in hees possession, it may be. Do you not recognize eet? Williams think so much of zat knife he would not let it leave hees person. But I haf eet here. So you see zere ees ze proof zat he ees a prisoner in zat uzzer camp." CHAPTER XXI BINDING UP AN ENEMY'S WOUNDS "DO you believe him, Dick?" asked Roger, huskily, after the French trader had turned his back on them, and the Indians busied themselves binding the hands of their captives behind their backs, using deerskin thongs for the purpose. "I'm afraid it must be so," replied Dick. "I happen to know about that knife, and have heard Williams say he prized it above anything he possessed. It has saved his life more than once, I understand." "Then if you recognized the knife it would mean that he is a prisoner like ourselves," admitted Roger, with a long-drawn sigh. "We may be taken to where he is being kept," the other told him. "They say misery likes company." "Oh! you must never give in like that. I tell you it is bound to come out right in the end, though things may look dark just now. Such a bad man could not win out ultimately. Do as I am doing and refuse to allow yourself to think such a thing can happen."