The sound of chopping came from a point near by.
“Why, of course it wouldn’t be Amos if he didn’t think of a fire the first thing,” declared Teddy.
“And it won’t feel at all bad this A. M.,” said Dolph. “That storm sure did purify the air and sent the mercury tumbling down the tube. Whew! my fingers are actually cold, and this a summer day, too.”
That day they paddled a good many miles along the shore. The wind being now in the south, favored them, for as a rule the water was very calm. It warmed up at noon, so that they were glad to strip down to a sleeveless jersey.
And when it was finally decided to camp again for the night they had made such good progress that Teddy, after consulting his chart, declared another such day ought to land them at the Soo where they expected to spend several days ere going down the St. Mary’s river to the head of Lake Huron, where they would put their boats on the steamer bound for Mackinac Island.
The first part of the program was carried out on the following day, thanks to the favorable weather, which kept the waves from heading in on the southern shore.
Late that afternoon they sighted the electrical building and tower that marks the wonderful locks of the great Soo Canal. Here they found a congestion of whaleback steamers and barges bound east with ore and grain, while others were going the other way laden with coal and other things needed around Duluth and the vast grain region beyond Superior’s farther boundary.
There was almost constant whistling day and night.
Making camp outside of town, the boys spent their first night at the Soo in their own reliable tent.