there were "any
passengers?"

Yuba Bill indicated the meek stranger with a jerk of his thumb. "And his
wife and darter in the coach. They're all right and tight, ez if they
was in the Fifth Avenue Hotel. But I reckon he allows to fetch 'em up
yer," added Bill, as if he strongly doubted the wisdom of the transfer.

The meek man, much meeker for the presence of Bill, here suggested that
such indeed was his wish, and further prayed that Jeff would accompany
him to the coach to assist in bringing them up. "It's rather wet and
dark," said the man apologetically; "my daughter is not strong. Have you
such a thing as a waterproof?"

Jeff had not; but would a bear-skin do?

It would.

Jeff ran, tore down his extempore window curtain, and returned with it.
Yuba Bill, who had quietly and disapprovingly surveyed the proceeding,
here disengaged himself from the bar with evident reluctance.

"You'll want another man," he said to Jeff, "onless ye can carry double.
Ez HE," indicating the stranger, "ez no sort o' use, he'd better stay
here and 'tend bar,' while you and me fetch the wimmen off. 'Specially
ez I reckon we've got to do some tall wadin' by this time to reach 'em."

The meek man sat down helplessly in a chair indicated by Bill, who at
once strode after Jeff. In another moment they were both fighting
their way, step by step, against the storm, in that peculiar, drunken,
spasmodic way so amusing to the spectator and so exasperating to
the performer. It was no time for conversation, even interjectional
profanity was dangerously exhaustive.

The coach was scarcely a thousand yards away, but its bright lights were
reflected in a sheet of dark silent water that stretched between it and
the two men. Wading and splashing, they soon reached it, and a gully
where the surplus water was pouring into the valley below. "Fower feet
o' water round her, but can't get any higher. So ye see she's all right
for a month o' sich weather." Inwardly admiring the perspicacity of his
companion, Jeff was about to open the coach door when Bill interrupted.

"I'll pack the old woman, if you'll look arter the darter and enny
little traps."

A female face, anxious and elderly, here appeared at the window.

"Thet's my little game," said Bill, sotto voce.

"Is there any danger? where is my husband?" asked the woman impatiently.

"Ez to the danger, ma'am,--thar ain't any. Yer ez safe HERE ez ye'd be
in a Sacramento steamer; ez to your husband,