After a few moments, he got on his knees and felt inside the canoe.  It had not been unloaded and this was the craft to launch, although the weight would make a difference.  Lying down again, he felt along the keel and found that the gravel was small and mixed with sand.  Then he touched something round and knew that a roller had been put under the canoe in order that she might be pulled up without disturbing the cargo.  This was a stroke of luck, because it would help him to run her down.

He touched Drummond, and getting up seized the gunwale.  They strained their muscles, but for a moment or two could not move the craft; then the roller jarred across a stone, there was a crunch of gravel, and she stopped, a foot lower down.  Thirlwell gasped and moved his hands to get another grip.  He thought they had made an alarming noise, but it was too late to be cautious.  They must finish the job.

“Lift her as you shove!” he said.

She went a yard, with the roller jolting in the sand, and there was a splash as her after-end took the water.  He could not understand why the packers had not wakened, but there was no movement in the camp, and the next effort would be easier, since the stern was nearly afloat.

“Again!” he gasped.  “Quietly, but with all your strength!”

The roller ran smoothly and they followed the canoe down.  When their feet were in the water they gave her a last push and small ripples splashed about them as she slid out on the lake.  The impetus would carry her some distance and the off-shore breeze would do the rest.

“I guess we’ll light out now,” Drummond remarked.

They regained the point and the camp was quiet.  The canoe was distinguishable, but Thirlwell thought he would not have seen her had he not known where to look; it was plain that she was drifting across the lake.  Five minutes later they heard somebody coming through the bush, and dropped behind a boulder.  They could not see the man, but heard him push through a thicket and then stumble among some stones.  He passed, and when they went on again Drummond laughed.

“Looks as if he was pretty savage, but he’s hitting up a smarter clip than I thought he could make.  Guess he’ll feel worse in the morning.”

Thirlwell agreed.  The canoe would be out of sight when Stormont reached the camp, and it was unlikely that he would miss her until next day.  She was, no doubt, loaded with food and prospecting tools, and Thirlwell had gained an important advantage by setting her adrift, since Stormont would not venture farther north without supplies.  He had probably some stores in camp and would find the canoe, but if she stranded on a beach far up the lake, the search might cost some time.  The delay would give Thirlwell a longer start.

He had fitted the new planks in his canoes and when he got back wakened the Metis and melted the caulking gum.  By daybreak the seams were hard and after a hurried breakfast the party paddled across the lake.  He would sooner have waited to see if Stormont would try to retaliate, but this would be rash.  If the canoes were damaged or he were injured, it might prevent him from getting back to record the claims.