Few men would have dug for gold along that creek; the surface had all the characteristics of unadulterated muck. He stuck the pick into it for the mere fun of hitting something. Though the sun shone warmly and rich the grass grew on either bank, the eternal ice was down under the surface. In one hour he managed to dig out a cubic yard of earth. Having satisfied his hunger for exercise, he flung the shovel down and began to smoke. Looking down the creek, he saw a clumsy flat-bottomed boat, piled high with cargo, swirling down the river, with a tousled-haired man in the stern keeping her from the bank by means of a pole. "Chips," he murmured. "He must have started last night. So the food is here, and we can hike out to-day, thank God!" As he looked, the punt struck a submerged sandbank and beached on it. Chips' little body bent on the pole, but except to swivel the punt on its axis it had no other result. Jim stood up, and seizing his tools, made down the creek. He shouted to Chips, and the latter looked at him imploringly. Jim waded through the water and reached the craft. "You should have kept her out more in the center, my friend," he said. "Current go swift there--no make the landing." "Hm! perhaps you're right. Here, take these aboard--I'll come back with you." He put the shovel and pick over the side of the boat and catching hold of the stern, pushed hard. Chips gave a yell of joy as the punt slithered and then jolted into deep water. Jim clambered aboard and took the pole. Half an hour later they beached her at the landing-place. Devinne and the other half-breed came running down the slope. The former looked at Jim in surprise. "Where did you go to? We waited breakfast for twenty minutes, and then discovered you were not in." "Sorry," mumbled Jim. "I was mad for a walk. I met Chips up the river, stuck on a sandbank, so I came along. He ain't a good sailor." Chips grinned, and he and his comrade commenced to pack the cargo up the hill. Jim walked back with Devinne; the latter regarded him in curious fashion. Entering the house, he met Angela, but Natalie was pleasantly absent. Angela surveyed his wet figure with a smile. "Been swimming?" she queried. "No. I've bin hurrying along the stores. I met Chips." She was obviously pleased with the news. "Then we can leave to-day?" "Sure--and the sooner the better," he responded emphatically. She was silent for a moment, then she said softly: "Why weren't you in for breakfast?" "Didn't feel like it." "Was it because of last night?" He nodded gloomily. "I'm real scared of that woman," he murmured. "Gee! I shan't be happy till we clear away." "Then you didn't know--know she----" "Know!" he ejaculated. "Jumping rattlesnakes! It knocked me silly. Angela, you don't think I--gave her reason to believe----" "I don't think you did. But, Jim, you are an extraordinary man." "I don't get you." "Not to know when a woman loves you."