their law, and their priests but do my bidding, else would I not suffer
them. When I speak for them I speak for myself. We ask to be let alone.
We do not want your kind. If we permit you to sit by our fires, after
you will come your church, your priests, and your gods. And know this,
for each white man who comes to my village, him will I make deny his god.
You are the first, and I give you grace. So it were well you go, and go
quickly."

"I am not responsible for my brothers," the second man spoke up, filling
his pipe in a meditative manner. Hay Stockard was at times as thoughtful
of speech as he was wanton of action; but only at times.

"But I know your breed," responded the other. "Your brothers are many,
and it is you and yours who break the trail for them to follow. In time
they shall come to possess the land, but not in my time. Already, have I
heard, are they on the head-reaches of the Great River, and far away
below are the Russians."

Hay Stockard lifted his head with a quick start. This was startling
geographical information. The Hudson Bay post at Fort Yukon had other
notions concerning the course of the river, believing it to flow into the
Arctic.

"Then the Yukon empties into Bering Sea?" he asked.

"I do not know, but below there are Russians, many Russians. Which is
neither here nor there. You may go on and see for yourself; you may go
back to your brothers; but up the Koyukuk you shall not go while the
priests and fighting men do my bidding. Thus do I command, I, Baptiste
the Red, whose word is law and who am head man over this people."