Philip's mind was made up when he closed the door and faced the half-breed again.
"It is three hundred miles from here to Fort Churchill," he said.

"Half way, at the lower end of Jesuche Lake, MacVeigh and his patrol have made their headquarters.

If I go after Bram, Pierre, I must first make certain of getting a message to MacVeigh, and he will see that it gets to Fort Churchill.

Can you leave your foxes and poison-baits and your deadfalls long enough for that ?" A moment Pierre hesitated.
Then he said: "I will take the message." Until late that night Philip sat up writing his report.

He had started out to run down a band of Indian thieves.