oor, but Ramsey was already
out on the steps and scurrying down them. On the texas roof, however,
she took a wrong direction and lost time; slipped forward round the
pilot-house counting on steps which were not, and never had been, out
there. Returning she lost more by meeting old Joy in the narrow way
between the house and the edge of the texas roof, and when at length she
sprang away for the after end of the texas and the only stair she was
now sure of, whom should she espy bound thither ahead of her but Mrs.
Gilmore. In that order the three hurried down to the guards of the texas
and forward along them by its stateroom doors.

Meantime, out at the bell the clerk had left Hugh and privately sent Ned
and the cub pilot different ways. Hugh moved a pace or two aside to
observe the _Antelope_ out on their larboard quarter. The senator and
the general moved with him.

"She'll pass you again at Delta," remarked the senator. "You see,
general--you see, Mr. Courteney,--at Delta they" (the players) "can very
plausibly explain--there won't be more than two or three, if any, to
explain to--that they're running from the cholera and want to hail the
_Westwood_, which they won't more than just have time to do.

"She won't mind taking them," he babbled on, "already having the cholera
herself. Not many up-river boats would answer a hail from Delta, but she
will, for she'll see they're from this boat and that it's your wish.
There she comes round the bend now. Yes, Delta's a lot safer for 'em
than Helena with its wharf-boat and daylight crowd and those three
red-hots going ashore with 'em. On the _Westwood_ they can put up with
any yarn that'll carry 'em through. They're actors and used to that sort
o' thing."

Musingly Hugh broke in: "Counting all the chances, isn't there a touch
of cruelty in this, to the lady at least?"

"Oh, now, my young friend--" the senator began to rejoin, but two men
lounging by stopped to ask after the father and grandfather. They were
the second engineer and his striker, presently to go on watch.

Mrs. Gilmore, coming along the texas guards, met the cub pilot. He
perched on the railing to let her pass and a few strides farther on
began to do the same for Ramsey.

LI

LOVING-KINDNESS

Ramsey stopped and the boy's heart rose into his throat.

"Whe're you going?" she asked.

He pointed to a lighted door she had just come by.

"First mate's room," he said.

"To tell him what to do?"