Roy nodded to the girl, who discreetly drew aside, then questioned Sahanderry, who instantly assured him of his total ignorance of the matter.
Still pondering over the disappearance of the key, Roy suddenly raised his eyes and encountered those of Ocpic, who was watching him keenly. In a flash Roy perceived the culprit.
He glanced searchingly at the Eskimo, who returned the look with an inscrutable face.
Roy smiled and flashed a glance at Sahanderry, who was standing with a puzzled expression, gazing from one to the other of them. The Chipewyan’s brain worked slowly, ponderously. It was some little time before a suspicion of what was in the other’s mind dawned upon him.
Roy beckoned him with a slight movement of the head and then went outside. The Indian lingered for a few moments before following with an awkward attempt at careless ease.
“It was Ocpic,” declared Roy, vehemently, without preamble, as Sahanderry joined him. “Of course it was he! I left him in the room with the sailor when I went out to Delgezie, and the sailor followed. But you,” he demanded quickly with a wrathful look, “what were you thinking of that you allowed the Eskimo to stay alone in the room?”
The delinquent dropped his head guiltily, expecting a storm.
“Now go in,” continued the speaker peremptorily. “Try to keep Ocpic in the kitchen while I fix up a plan to get the key away from him.”
The servant acquiesced gladly, and quickly disappeared into the house. Roy followed more leisurely. He spoke jocosely to Kasba as he passed through the kitchen.
On reaching the inner room he threw himself into a chair to form his plans to outwit the Eskimo. In the dilemma his knowledge of the native character stood him in good stead.