e insisted on coming
on board.

"I came off for my wife," said Griffin Leeds. "I want her to go on
shore with me."

This demand seemed to me a more serious complication than that of
Captain Boomsby's ridiculous suit. I did not know much about law, but I
had an idea that a man had a right to his own wife. Colonel Shepard was
a lawyer, though he did not practise his profession, and I was entirely
willing to leave this matter to him, for he was more interested in it
than any other person, as his wife was an invalid, and needed Chloe's
attentions more than the other ladies.

"Don't let her go," said the Colonel; and so said all the ladies.

"You can't separate man and wife," said Cornwood.

"We don't propose to separate man and wife," replied Colonel Shepard,
before I had time to say anything. "If his wife wants to go, she is at
perfect liberty to do so. Ask Chloe to come on deck," he added, turning
to the steward.

The stewardess appeared a minute later.

"Here, Chloe, I want you to come on shore with me," shouted Griffin
Leeds, when he saw his wife. "I have got a room all furnished for you,
and I've got a situation as second waiter at a hotel."

"No, I thank you!" replied Chloe, pertly. "I'm going to stay where I
am."

I was not a little surprised to hear her make this answer, for I
supposed she would follow the fortunes of her husband, whatever they
were. I knew nothing in regard to their marital relations, whether they
were pleasant or otherwise, though I had never seen anything to lead me
to suppose they were unpleasant.

"I want you to come with me; you are my wife and you must come!" said
Griffin, angrily. "I forbid your going in this steamer."

"You can forbid all day if you like; I'm going in the steamer!"
answered Chloe, very decidedly. "I don't go with you any more, if I can
help it."

"You are my wife, and you can't help it," retorted the husband.

"I haven't got anything more to say about it. I won't go with you; and
that's the whole of it," said the stewardess, retreating to the cabin.

Griffin Leeds swore like a pirate, and declared he would be the death
of his wife if she didn't come with him. He called upon the officer to
arrest Chloe, and compel her to go on shore with him.

"Give me a proper warrant, and I will arrest her," replied the officer,
laughing.

"I am her husband; and I tell you to take her out of that steamer,"
cried Griffin, foaming with wrath.

"I don't know that you ar