One autumn Mattie and I were hunting caribou toward the northern end of Newfoundland. On this trip he was my only companion. The drawback to such an arrangement was that we were obliged to leave our camp unprotected all day. The disposition of one's money is always embarrassing in hunting. It was necessary for me to carry a large number of bills of small denominations, as no one could change large bills. These I kept in a leathern wallet which I deposited at the bottom of my duffel bag. On returning one day at about four in the afternoon I went to my tent and found all my possessions scattered about. I turned the bag upside down and found that my wallet, containing about five hundred and fifty dollars, was missing. As this was all the money I had brought with me, it raised a serious problem. I went out to the Indian. "Mattie," I said, "a thief has been here." He answered, "I know dat, he come in my place too to take some grub, and he make fire and eat it. Dat was a white man." I said, "How do you know that, Mattie?" He replied, "An Injun wouldn't come near your place if you weren't dere. He'd be 'fraid to." I said, "Mattie, he's taken all my money." This terrified him, and he asked, "You don't tink I took it, do you?" I said, "No, I know you didn't take it, you were with me. He inquired, "You want me to go and get your money?" I replied, "I don't know whether you could find it, Mattie." He said, "You stay here 'lone all night and I go get your money." I agreed, and the Indian swiftly glided away.

I made a fire, cooked and ate my supper, smoked my pipe for a while, and then went to bed. At about six in she morning I awakened and walked to the door of my tent. There by the fire sat the Indian, eating his breakfast. As soon as he saw me, he approached with the lost wallet and, handing it to me, said, "Count dat money." I did so and found it all there. For the first time, I am ashamed to say, a doubt crossed my mind. It seemed incredible to me that the Indian could have gone out into the trackless wilderness and have found that wallet so quickly. I said to him, "Tell me, Mattie, how you got it." He replied: "Dat was easy. I know dat man was a white man, he wouldn't dare stay m de woods all night widout a fire. I climb up to top of dat big hill and sit dere a long time, and I look all over de country. Couldn't see notin. Den I climb up a big tree to de top. Bumbye, just before dark, I see a little smoke, 'bout six miles down de river, and I know dat's where your money is. I travel quick, it got dark in de woods, but I know where I see dat smoke. When I get near I hide in de bushes and look. Dat fellow was sittin' right in front of de fire, countin' your money. I crawl on de ground and (p. 179) he hear notin' I jump on his back, I stick his head in de ground-good mind to stick it in de fire. I draw my knife [a fearsome weapon with a blade nearly a foot long] and I give dat fellow one little tap on de neck wid de point, and I say, 'Man, gimme Doctor Worcester's money.' He scared, he shake, he look 'round and say, 'Mattie, I give you half.' I say, 'You speak again, and you dead man,' and I give him bother little tap to draw de blood. He give me dat wallet quick and he say, 'Mattie, I want you to stay and eat supper wid me.' I tell him, 'I wouldn't eat wid you, you're a tief.' He say again, 'Mattie, please stay and sleep with me, I'm awful 'fraid.' I tell him, 'I'm 'fraid of you, I wouldn't sleep wid you. If you ever come to my camp again, you die sure. You see now, I can find you anywhere.' He begin to cry. I walk back about a mile and lie down under a tree till it get light, den I come home, and dere's your money."