It was morning when the carrier entered the Duluth breakwater, and the boys gazed in wonder at the panorama. On the left was the port of Superior, where a score of boats were receiving and discharging cargoes, but it was the grain elevators of Duluth pouring their tons of wheat into several vessels that claimed the greatest share of attention, and Phil and Ted listened with interest to the statistics concerning the stupendous amount of grain and iron ore, totalling millions of tons, shipped annually from the “city at the head of the lakes.”
When the Admiral was finally docked, it was with real regret that Phil and Ted bade goodbye to the mates, after thanking them for their kindness and patience, and turned toward Captain Perkins.
“I’m going ashore with you,” he smiled. “My instructions from Mr. Atwood were not to leave you until you were safely on board your train for the West.”
Phil, because of his nineteen years, felt that such guardianship was not only unnecessary but humiliating and he was on the point of rejecting the skipper’s escort, when Ted quickly exclaimed:
“That will be bully. Not that we need a guardian—we’re old enough to take care of ourselves—but it will be pleasant to have some one we know with us. Can’t Mr. Adams go too?”
The boy’s words were so cordial that the skipper smiled at the token of appreciation, while Phil was very glad that he had been prevented from saying what he had intended.
“That was just what I wanted to suggest,” declared Captain Perkins. “Come on, Harry; it’s Harry any time except on board ship, you know—we must treat these boys right in Duluth. Some day we may want to beg enough wheat from them to make a couple of barrels of flour, if things keep on as they are going.”
“You shall have it and welcome, and all you want of it,” declared Phil, glad of the opportunity to atone for his former rudeness.
“By Jove! Just think! Perhaps some day you’ll carry some of our wheat in the Admiral!” exclaimed Ted. Then, turning to the vessel, he said, whimsically: “Good-bye, old boat. If you ever carry any of my grain, don’t you dare to sink with it.”
After a call at the bank, where the money needed for their railroad tickets, berths, meals, and incidentals was drawn against their letter of credit, the young homesteaders purchased their transportation. These matters attended to, they had nothing else to occupy them until evening, and glad, indeed, were they of the companionship of the captain and mate.