The two boys watched the pilot-house from a safe distance while the captain went below. Day was beginning to dawn, and by the faint light they could see Mr. Bruin spinning the pilot-wheel this way and that. He seemed as pleased as a child with a new toy. The compass card, with its dim white spot showing the position of the ship, attracted his attention. Brain scratched on the glass over the compass card and getting no satisfaction from so doing, returned to the wheel.
Such steering probably never had been seen on the Great Lakes before. All at once five shrill blasts sounded dead ahead.
"There comes a steamer!" yelled Bob.
"We'll run it down!" shouted Steve. "Hey, Captain!"
The up-coming steamer knew that something was wrong and her deck officer was sounding a danger signal. It looked as if a collision could not be avoided. Steve ran around to the front of the pilot-house, and rang in the signal "full speed astern" on the bridge telegraph. Then the "Richmond" did cut up. Bruin was still steering as fancy dictated, the bow of the ship wobbling this way and that.
A Huge Form Stood at the Wheel.
In the meantime the captain of the other steamer was trying his best to get his craft out of the way of the wobbling "Richmond."
"Sheer off! Sheer off!" bellowed the skipper of the up-boat. "You'll cut us in two."