"Whatman?"
"Heem name Lakewood. Deese boy heem nephew."
"You mean Silas Lakewood?"
"Oui."
"But he started back for Nome more'n six weeks ago. You knew he came with me, didn't you?"
"Oui."
"We came on a prospecting trip, but we didn't find a thing and he got cold feet. I wanted him to keep on with me up to my trapping camp, but he wouldn't do it and so I had to let him go. He ought to have got back to Nome long before you left."
The man was trying his best to put a lot of concern into his voice.
"Heem no geet thar."
"Well, I'm sorry to hear it but, after all, it's none of my business."