lready pushing his way through the crowd, annoyed at this
unconventional method of boarding his ship. He put both hands in his
pockets, stuck out his little bearded chin, and glared at Jim.

"What the blazes do you mean by boarding my ship? Where's your ticket, eh?
And leave that lady alone--she's a passenger of mine."

Some of his indignation vanished when the fierce gray eyes of Jim fixed
him in an unflinching stare. He saw trouble looming in the offing. Jim
turned his eyes to Angela.

"We'll be mushing," he said briefly.

Linking her arm in his, he began to push through the crowd. The grizzled
man said something to his comrade, and they spread out and formed a human
barrier to his further progress.

"Don't butt in, boys--'tain't healthy," warned Jim.

"Git him!" whispered the grizzled man, "and yank him back in the river!"

Jim's hand flew to his belt and the big revolver was jerked out in a
trice. He pushed it into the stomach of the foremost man, and caused that
worthy to shiver with terror. The latter backed away, whilst his friends
hunted for firearms.

"Stand aside!" roared Jim.

The lane widened, but at the end of it were two men handling revolvers,
with a dangerous glint in their eyes.

"So yore after stoppin' a man eloping with his own wife, eh?"

"Wife----?"

"Thet's so."

The crowd stared. This put a new complexion on matters. The Captain looked
at Angela.

"Say, is that husky your 'old man'?"

Angela flushed with embarrassment.

"I hate him, and I won't go with him!" she cried hotly.

The Captain spread out his hands.

"Why in hell didn't you say so afore?" he asked Jim.

"Is it any of your darned business?"

"I guess it's your funeral, all right," chuckled the grizzled man.

"Better come on as far as Eagle. I'll put you off there," said the
Captain. "Can't stop just here."

Jim shook his head and moved towards the rail.

"I'm sure in a hurry," he said. "We ain't scared of a drop of water, are
we Angy?"

Angela bestowed upon him a look of mingled contempt and terror. The high
wooded bank seemed miles away, and the river ran like a millrace.

"I won't come--I won't!" she hissed.

But he had already reached the rail. Her heart seemed to freeze with
horror as he lifted her on to the seat and clasped her firmly round the
waist, imprisoning her arms so that resistance became impossible.

"Stop!" yelled the Captain. "You can't go that way----"

A gasp came from the crowd as th