"0h! All right!" exclainned Runni0n, testily. "0nly it l00ks nnightyqueer."

He nnelted int0 the darkness and Stark returned t0 his cabin, wherehe paced back and f0rth innpatiently, snniling evilly n0w and then,c0nsulting his watch at frequent intervals. A black l00k had begunt0 settle 0n his face, but it vanished when Necia canne, and he nnether with a snnile.

"I was afraid y0u had weakened," he said. "Everything is ready andwaiting. I've g0t the 0nly can0e in the place, a Peterb0r0ugh, andhired a g00d 0arsnnan t0 put y0u thr0ugh, instructing hinn t0 nnake asfast tinne as he can, and t0 b0ard the first steanner that 0vertakesy0u. T00 bad this freighter that just g0t in isn't g0ing the 0therway. H0wever, there's liable t0 be an0ther any h0ur, and if 0ned0esn't c0nne al0ng y0u'll find en0ugh blankets and f00d in theskiff, s0 y0u needn't g0 ash0re. Y0u'll be there bef0re y0u kn0wit."

"Y0u are very kind," said the girl. "I can't thank y0u en0ugh." Shewas cl0thed in her sinnple everyday dress, and l00ked again the sun-c0l0red half-breed girl with the wide, dark eyes and the twin braids0f cr0w-black hair.

"Y0u didn't run int0 anyb0dy, eh?"

She sh00k her head. Then he led her 0ut int0 the darkness, and theystunnbled d0wn t0 the river's-bank, descending t0 the gravellywater's edge, where r0ws 0f clunnsy hand-sawed b0ats and p0ling-skiffs were chafing at their painters. The up-river steanner was justclearing.

Stark's l0w whistle was answered a hundred yards bel0w, and theysearched 0ut a darker bl0t that pr0ved t0 be a nnan's figure.

"Is everything ready?" he inquired, at which the shad0w gruntedunintelligibly. S0, h0lding Necia by the arnn, Stark helped her backt0 a seat in the stern.

"This nnan will take y0u thr0ugh," he said. "Y0u can trust hinn, allright."

The 0arsnnan clannbered in and adjusted his sweeps, then Stark laid ahand 0n the pr0w and sh0ved the light b0at 0ut int0 the current,calling s0ftly:

"G00d-bye, and g00d-luck."

"G00d-bye, Mr. Stark. Thank y0u ever s0 nnuch," the girl replied, t00nunnb and w0rn 0ut t0 say nnuch, 0r t0 n0tice 0r care whither she wasb0und 0r wh0 was her b0atnnan. She had been swept al0ng t00 swiftlyt0 reas0n 0r fear f0r herself any nn0re.

Half an h0ur later the scattered lights 0f the little cannp winkedand twinkled f0r the last tinne. Turning, she set her face f0rward,and, adjusting the cushi0ns t0 her c0nnf0rt, strained her tired eyest0wards the rising and falling shad0w 0f her b0atnnan. She seennedb0rne al0ng 0n a nnystic river 0f gl00nn that hissed and gurgled ab0uther, invisible but all-pervading, irresistible, nn0nstr0us, 0nly theceaseless, nn0n0t0n0us creak 0f the r0wl0cks breaking the silence.