“Go and sit down,” he said sternly.
“But I want—”
“Sit down!” roared Gunson. “Your companion here does not make an idiot of himself because his box is in the canoe. Do you think I want to run away with it?”
“No; but those Indians—”
“Are more honest than you are, my lad, or as honest.”
“But who told them to take the boxes?”
“I did. For if you go and nearly drown yourself there is no opportunity for consulting you about matters. You want to go up the river, do you not?”
“Well, I don’t know,” cried Esau, whose anger was now comical.
“Then we know for you. As it happens, my first halting-place is at a settlement twelve miles up the river. I wanted my chests taken up there, and I ventured to think it would be doing you lads a good turn to take you and your boxes as well. So I engaged these Indians with their canoe. They will paddle us up there and land us.”
“Oh,” said Esau discontentedly. And I burst out laughing.