"You want me to tell?" asked the half-breed in English.
"Yes, we're very curious. My friend here is very anxious to know why he was attacked, and why he was to die whilst the girl who was with him was carried off."
"You not know?" asked the half-breed.
"Well, we haven't quite got the rights of it," was the policeman's guarded answer.
"Then I tell you." His dark eyes turned to Stane. "You not know me?"
"No," answered Stane. "I never saw you in my life before."
"But I haf seen you. Oui! I steal your canoe when you sleep!"
"Great Scott!" cried Stane. "You——"
"I run from zee poleece, an' I haf nodings but a gun. When I watch you sleep, I tink once I shoot you; but I not know who ees in zee leetle tent, an' I tink maybe dey catch me, but I know now eet vas not so."
"You know who was in the tent?" asked Stane sharply.