Alex raised on one elbow and gazed at the foam flying past with a sigh of satisfaction. “She goes like a blow fly to the fish market. She must be making twenty-two miles an hour.”
“One cannot tell without running a boat around a staked course what time it will make, but I figure the Rambler is making twenty-four miles an hour right now. I’ve got her tinkered up like a watch and she’s running like a railroad train.
St. Michael’s rose quickly on the horizon and when within about half a mile of it, Clay slowed the engine down and the Rambler ambled past at a sedate rate of speed. As they passed the island, the boys saw the river steamboat lying at her pier, a thin trickle of white smoke trickling out of her funnels.
“Only just beginning to get up steam, it will take them a full two hours to get up a full head, and the Yukon Kid expected to pass us at the mouth of the Yukon,” said Clay scornfully.
As soon as they were well clear of the island, Clay shoved over the timer again and the Rambler leaped ahead like a sword fish.
The distance between the island and the famous river was not great and they soon headed up its broad bosom. Case had a chart of the lower Yukon and a box compass by which to steer, and they made steady progress up the great river. Long before twilight they ran the Rambler slowly into a tiny cove where they found the water deep enough to run her bow clear up on shore. An anchor was thrown on shore and another heaved as far as they could heave it and its cable tautened up so as to prevent the Rambler slewing in on the beach.
“I’m going to be boss for the rest of the day,” Clay declared, pleasantly, when the work was done. “First of all, I want that young monkey,” indicating Alex, “to go right to bed. I’ll make him a bowl of hot broth and he’ll be asleep in ten minutes after he drinks it.”
“Me for the broth and the blankets,” agreed Alex willingly, for he was coming to a realization of his weak state.
“Teddy Bear has got into better humor this afternoon, I believe, Case, if you would take him ashore and lead him around a bit he would eat a big supper and be his own good-humored self tomorrow.”
“I’ll go,” said Case, eagerly, for he was eager to explore the forest that stretched away back of the cove.