Last week, Joe and Sam found out a railway worker was about to be hung.
"There will be no hanging here today," shouted Bigumpound. He shook his finger at the crowd. "What right have you people to sentence this man to death?"
There was a loud hum and mumbling from the railway and dock workers. The four policemen surrounded the accused as Bigumpound removed the noose from around the man's neck.
Some of the gandy-dancers began pushing forward.
Bigumpound raised the barrel of his rifle. "Stand back!" he yelled. "This man will be judged, but not here on this wharf!" To appease the crowd he turned to the fellow and said, "You're under my arrest." hen he ordered the other officers to lead the prisoner away. The man's hands were still bound in front of him as he stepped between two warehouses with his police escort. Bigumpound followed behind and was soon out of sight.
The gathering at Mile 53 started dispersing as soon as the police had galloped off in a freight wagon. Joe and Sam made their way back to the top end of the wharf to where the double canoe had been tied up.
"Where's our boat?" enquired Sam to a dock-worker. Joe and Sam looked up the Fraser River and caught the tail end of the canoe as it ducked in behind a large river scow.
"There they go," said Joe. I guess them guys got scared when they heard about the hangin'," said Joe as he continued to look around the water front. "Hey, Sam, the water sure seems deep here by the wharf. Does it always come up to this level?" Joe pointed at the river bank.
Sam had been in Tte Jaune Cache the previous year, 1912. "I think the level depends on the spring run-off. Last year the water was so low that the 'Conveyor' and 'Operator' had to be dragged over here from the ship building-yard at Mile 51."
"Yes," he said, "That was quite the spring last year."
Sam and Joe were looking around for their boss. "Now where's Bates?" said Sam. I suppose he's still wondering about the Ruth-Ann."
The next episode is SAM LOOKS BACK. Both Sam and Joe know they have to let Mr. Bates in on the rest of the story about the loss of the pointer boat. The two men head back to the shipping office.
