"Now speak English," she said imperiously.
"I help Joe to chase the Doctor," Philippe went on sulkily, "because the Doctor know where Nahnya is. Las' night I find out where she is and I am through with Joe, but I bring him down the river with me to sell him good. I hate all white men. When we come to the other side the mountain, I say to Joe, you wait here, and I go spy out the way. I come back soon. Joe say all right. He think I am his friend. He is a fat fool. He want to kill us all to get the gold himself. He think I not see it in his eye. He is a fool!"
"You say you fool him," said Nahnya. "Maybe you fool me, too!"
Philippe protested passionately in his native tongue. More than once Ralph heard the word moon-i-yas, which he knew was Cree for white man.
"How did you get across the hole?" asked Nahnya.
"I leaped it," said Philippe with a swagger.
"Are the others behind you?"
"Could the fat man leap it?" said Philippe, "or the little scared one? or crazy Crusoe?"
"No, but maybe you put the bridge back for them," said Nahnya.
"Tie my hands!" cried Philippe passionately, "and if they come, kill me!"