"You mustn't talk about me that way--I can answer your questions.
It's true--I ran away. I had to. The sailors came after me and
fought with these men. I had to get away quickly, and your friends
helped me on here from gentlemanly kindness, because they saw me
unprotected. They are still protecting me. I can't explain how
important it is for me to reach Nome on the first boat, because it
isn't my secret. It was important enough to make me leave my uncle
at Seattle at an hour's notice when we found there was no one else
who could go. That's all I can say. I took my maid with me, but
the sailors caught her just as she was following me down the
ship's ladder. She had my bag of clothes when they seized her. I
cast off the rope and rowed ashore as fast as I could, but they
lowered another boat and followed me."

The captain eyed her sharply, and his grim lines softened a bit,
for she was clean-cut and womanly, and utterly out of place, He
took her in, shrewdly, detail by detail, then spoke directly to
her:

"My dear young lady--the other ships will get there just as
quickly as ours, maybe more quickly. To-morrow we strike the ice-
pack and then it is all a matter of luck."

"Yes, but the ship I left won't get there."

At this the commander started, and, darting a great, thick-
fingered hand at her, spoke savagely:

"What's that? What ship? Which one did you come from? Answer me."