328 CHARLES MOREAU 



a meal ! They were pleased with you because they 

 did not know what you can do sometimes/' 

 "Well," he said, "I will tell you. That morn- 

 ing I was awfully hungry and I held off till about 

 nine o'clock, and then I had breakfast before go- 

 ing up! I hope you are not vexed with ne." 

 The poor chap was always afraid of doing any- 

 thing that would displease me. 



Indians are said to be ungrateful, but ingrati- 

 tude was certainly not one of his traits. ( The 

 reason of his great friendship for me was tjiat I 

 had saved his life on one occasion. He was bath- 

 ing with another Indian boy of his age in the 

 Godbout river, The shores are pretty steep, and 

 in some places there are deep pools with a strong 

 current. Neither he nor his companion could 

 swim, but with the help of two small cedar pad- 

 dles, Charles would float himself for a minute dr 

 two. Coming down to the river, I saw theft 

 there, and hiding behind some bushes I sat theie 

 watching them, for they would neither bathe to- 

 fore me nor with me. After he had splashed arouid 

 for some minutes, the current drifted Charles o t 

 into the channel. Letting himself down to res 

 the water went over his head and he found 

 deeper as he drifted. This so surprised him th 

 he let go his paddles, striking the bottom with h 

 feet. The first time he rose, his head came o^t 

 of the water and he went down again almost 

 quickly. His companion on the shore did not a 



