Before nightfall Bateese and Joe Clamart came in and tied his arms
behind him, and he was taken ashore with the rumble of a waterfall
in his ears. For two hours he watched the labors of the men as
they beached the bateau on long rollers of smooth birch and rolled
it foot by foot over a cleared trail until it was launched again
above the waterfall. Then he was led back into the cabin and his
arms freed. That night he went to sleep with the music of the
waterfall in his ears.
The second day the Yellowknife seemed to be no longer a river, but
a narrow lake, and the third day the rowers came into the Nine
Lake country at noon, and until another dusk the bateau threaded
its way through twisting channels and impenetrable forests, and
beached at last at the edge of a great open where the timber had
been cut. There was more excitement here, but it was too dark for
David to understand the meaning of it. There were many voices;
dogs barked. Then voices were at his door, a key rattled in the
lock, and it opened. David saw Bateese and Joe Clamart first. And
then, to his amazement, Black Roger Audemard stood there, smiling
at him and nodding good-evening.
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