t meant certain death. He
resolved to fetch the boat as near the bows as possible and on the port
side.

He heard a bell ring twice, and then to his horror the boat changed her
course. It was barely two hundred yards away, and bore straight down on
him. He dived and swam for his life to avoid direct impact.... At that
moment a man saw him and yelled out something to the Captain. The latter
peered over the side, but saw nothing.

"You're drunk!" he retorted.

"Tell you I seen a man right under her nose. Better stop the boat."

The Captain shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess I'll keep straight on," he replied. "What's it got to do with me,
anyway? He ain't a passenger----"

He stopped and gasped as an enormous, saturated spectre climbed over the
side. A crowd of men playing cards nearby stopped their game and stared.

"Who in hell are you?" asked the Captain.

Jim shook the wet from his hair and pushed forward without a word. His
keen eyes ranged all over the packed decks. Then he grunted as he caught
sight of a familiar figure in the stern of the boat. It was Angela, white
of face, and amazed at the appearance of this totally unexpected
apparition. The crowd, struck dumb with wonderment, made way for him. He
strode up to Angela and stopped within a foot of her, gazing fixedly into
her eyes.

"You!"

"Yep--it's me all right. Are you ready?"

"Ready----!"

"Can't wait too long. It's a tidy swim, and the river gits wider every
mile."

She recoiled from him in horror. For the past hour she had been dreaming
of the comforts and joys of civilization. Once in the river, escape had
seemed certain--and here was her pugnacious jailer with determination
written all over his set features.

"I'm waiting," he said calmly.

"Are you mad?" she retorted. "I'm finished with that terrible life. This
time you have come too late. Unless you go ashore now there will not be
another chance."

"Then we'll go right now."

"We!"

"Yep--you and me."

He moved towards her and caught her firmly by the arm. A group of men,
interested spectators of the drama, thought it was time to interfere. One
of them, a grizzled man of fifty, touched Jim on the arm.

"What's all this, stranger?"

"Don't butt in," growled Jim.

His interrogator disregarded him, and turned to Angela.

"Who is this broiler, missie?"

"He is--he is----. He wants to take me back there, to a place I hate! Oh,
please bring the Captain!"

The captain was a