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 already 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 177 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!”