Two Young Lumbermen by Edward Stratemeyer

The rain had slackened a little, and now the wind was rising. Dale and Owen continued their sight-seeing, and then returned to the schooner, for they had arranged to remain on the craft that night, so that they might be ready for the start early in the morning.

The _Elizabeth_ was a three-master, broad of beam, and with good carrying capacity. She was loaded with dressed lumber, consigned to a lumber yard at Detroit, and carried a crew of twelve, besides the cook. The lumber filled not only the hold, but also a good part of the deck, so moving from one part of the ship to another was not easy.

The young lumbermen slept soundly, and when they arose they found the schooner was already getting under way. Dressing hastily, they went on deck, to receive a bluff "good-morning" from Captain Dacker.

Dale and Owen watched the hoisting of the sails with interest, and lent a hand at coiling up the ropes used for fastening the ship to the dock. Then the _Elizabeth_ moved on down the Saginaw River, and the journey toward the bay and the lake was begun.

The Saginaw River is not a large stream, and the city of that name is situated about twenty miles from its mouth, near which is located Bay City. The run to Bay City and into Saginaw Bay occupied a little over two hours, and then the schooner stood boldly to the northeast, for Burnt Cabin Point, as it is called, where the bay opens into Lake Huron.

"This is a good, stiff breeze," said Owen. "I hope it keeps up all the way to Detroit."

"The trouble of it is, it won't be in our favor after we turn to run southward on the lake," answered Dale. "We'll have to do a lot of tacking."

"Oh, well, if the trip lasts a day or two longer than expected, who cares? I think a week of this would just suit me."

They found the crew of the lumber boat a mixed one, composed of Norwegians, Germans, French, and one or two Americans. But this was not strange, for the majority of the population around the Lakes is composed of foreigners of many nationalities, Germans, Norwegians, Swedes, and French predominating.

"Have you any idea how far it is to Detroit from here? " asked Dale.

"I don't know exactly, but I should say close to four hundred miles by the way the schooner will take," replied Owen.

As the weather was hot, the breeze from over the bay proved very acceptable, and the young lumbermen sat for a good part of the time near the bow of the schooner taking in the distant sights. But soon land was left behind, and all they could see was the blue sky and the smooth, greenish-blue waters of the lake, rippling in the breeze.

"What a difference between this and the Atlantic Ocean," remarked Owen. "There the water is never quiet. This looks like a big millpond in comparison."

"Aint no millpond when there is a storm on," said one of the deck hands, who stood near. "I've spent four years on boats, two years on the Atlantic and two on the Lakes, and I can tell you that a storm on the Lakes is just as bad as any on the ocean."

All day long the wind kept its pace, and soon Captain Dacker announced that they had reached the lake proper. As night came on, they could see, off the starboard quarter, the lighthouse at Point aux Barques, and just beyond the twinkling lights of Grindstone City. Then the course of the _Elizabeth_ was changed, and they stood almost south for Port Huron.

When the young lumbermen got up the next morning, they found that the wind had died down utterly, and the schooner was lying motionless on what looked for all the world like a sea of glass. The sun was coming up in the east like a great ball of fire, throwing a streak of golden yellow toward them.

"It's going to be hot now," declared Owen, and his prediction proved true. As the sun mounted higher the thermometer rose steadily, until the young lumbermen were glad enough to keep in the shade.

The _Elizabeth_ was doing her best to catch what air there was, but this was for the most part a failure, and ever and anon the sails would flop idly, showing there was nothing to fill them. Not a sound was stirring, and the young lumbermen thought of the big and silent forest in which they had worked so often. This silence was equally oppressive.

Noon came and went, and still the calm continued. Then a dark streak appeared to the northwestward, followed by sudden and uncertain puffs of air.

"We are going to catch a breeze now," said Captain Dacker grimly. "I only hope we don't get too much of it."