An ascending HNN extension of a free group inside

We give an example of a subgroup of which is a strictly ascending HNN extension of a non-abelian finitely generated free group . In particular, we exhibit a free group in of rank which is conjugate to a proper subgroup of itself. This answers positively a question of Drutu and Sapir (2005). The main ingredient in our construction is a specific finite volume (non-compact) hyperbolic 3-manifold which is a surface bundle over the circle. In particular, most of comes from the fundamental group of a surface fiber. A key feature of is that there is an element of in with an eigenvalue which is the square root of a rational integer. We also use the Bass-Serre tree of a field with a discrete valuation to show that the group we construct is actually free.