Radisson was to return to the old captain with the promised provisions.
He offered to take young Gillam, disguised as a bush-ranger. In
return, he demanded (1) that the New Englanders should not leave their
fort; (2) that they should not betray themselves by discharging cannon;
(3) that they shoot any Hudson's Bay Company people who tried to enter
the New England fort. To young Gillam these terms seemed designed for
his own protection. What they really accomplished was the complete
protection of the French from united attack. Father and son would have
put themselves in Radisson's power. A word of betrayal to Bridgar, the
Hudson's Bay governor, and both the Gillams would be arrested for
illegal trade. Ben Gillam's visit to his father was fraught with all
the danger that Radisson's daring could have desired. A seaman half
suspected the identity of the bush-ranger, and Governor Bridgar wanted
to know how Radisson had returned so soon when the French fort was far
away. "I told him, smiling," writes Radisson, "that I could fly when
there was need to serve my friends."
Young Gillam had begun to suspect the weakness of the French. When the
two were safely out of the Hudson's Bay Company fort, he offered to go
home part of the way with Radisson. This was to learn where the French
fort lay. Radisson declined the kindly service and deliberately set
out from the New Englanders' island in the wrong direction, coming down
the Nelson past young Gillam's fort at night.
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