Coughran, having fruitlessly laid at her feet both his heart and a five-
hundred-foot creek claim on Bonanza, celebrated the misfortune by walking
all of a night with the gods. In the midwatch of this night he happened
to rub shoulders with Pierre Fontaine, none other than head man of Karen
Sayther's _voyageurs_. This rubbing of shoulders led to recognition and
drinks, and ultimately involved both men in a common muddle of inebriety.

"Heh?" Pierre Fontaine later on gurgled thickly. "Vot for Madame Sayther
mak visitation to thees country? More better you spik wit her. I know
no t'ing 'tall, only all de tam her ask one man's name. 'Pierre,' her
spik wit me; 'Pierre, you moos' find thees mans, and I gif you mooch--one
thousand dollar you find thees mans.' Thees mans? Ah, _oui_. Thees
man's name--vot you call--Daveed Payne. _Oui_, m'sieu, Daveed Payne. All
de tam her spik das name. And all de tam I look rount vaire mooch, work
lak hell, but no can find das dam mans, and no get one thousand dollar
'tall. By dam!

"Heh? Ah, _oui_. One tam dose mens vot come from Circle City, dose mens
know thees mans. Him Birch Creek, dey spik. And madame? Her say
'_Bon_!' and look happy lak anyt'ing. And her spik wit me. 'Pierre,'
her spik, 'harness de dogs. We go queek. We find thees mans I gif you
one thousand dollar more.' And I say, '_Oui_, queek! _Allons, madame_!'

"For sure, I t'ink, das two thousand dollar mine. Bully boy! Den more
mens come from Circle City, and dey say no, das thees mans, Daveed Payne,
come Dawson leel tam back. So madame and I go not 'tall.

"_Oui, m'sieu_. Thees day madame spik. 'Pierre,' her spik, and gif me
five hundred dollar, 'go buy poling-boat. To-morrow we go up de river.'
Ah, _oui_, to-morrow, up de river, and das dam Sitka Charley mak me pay