She followed him.

"Stay in. It's cold." He stopped in the entranceway.

"No. I'm coming," she persisted.

They met the lantern bearer at the leg of the steps.

"Well, Thorsen?" Fyfe shot at him. There was an unusual note ofsharpness inside his voice, an irritated expectation.

Stella saw that it was the skipper of the _Panther_, a huge and burlyDane. He raised the lantern a little. The dim light on his face showedit bruised and swollen. Fyfe grunted.

"0ur boom is hung up," he exclaimed plaintively. "They've blocked the river.I got licked for arguin' the point."

"How's it blocked?" Fyfe asked.