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Fast Time on Lake Superior. "He fancied the report of those that he met would reveal his speed; he knew his record at the canal would ibe closely scrutinized, Then he would be in doubt--(Did the McWil- liams' get away the next night?)-- Wias she detained for any reason? Has her run thus far, considering she is alone, 'been as good as ours? And occasionally he would fancy she was not following and this hustle was to no purpose. His officers, crew, steward and passengers somehow found more to look at astern than ahead. White Fish was passed and a close course to Keweenaw taken. "Tf you don't show up till I am on the other side of that point,' said oe THe Marine REVIEW hour boat. The Mitchell fleet are well kept up, plenty of paint and the réed band around their stack has always been asymbol to vesselmen that a good busy boat was at hand, would give you fair treatment in a channel, no crowding and the masters generally good fellows, all of them. Capt. Fer- tau of the McWilliams was no excep- tion. Some information had come to him of the Pathfinder's destination and he wasted no time, with pilot house and cabins all lit up and a good crowd of passengers aboard. Her run to the Soo was an exceptional one. In addition to her greater speed the fact of approaching narrow channels in the rivers gave her great advantage over the Pathfinder and this one fea- STEAMER |. J. - Capt. Stone, half to himself, as' he gazed for the fiftieth time. astern, 'I'll chance my disadvantage,' and seaman that he was he looked 'at' his consort along his tow line, noted that it was more taut than usual, but said noth- ing. All rules and laws about navi- 'gation were intelligently interpreted and properly executed aboard. Capt. 'Stone's boat. Neither was the speed forgotten. Freights were good; so was the 'weather; a clear understanding existed between him and his man- ager and no penny wise and pound foolish restrictions were imposed on the Pathfinder's master. . The McWilliams Gets Away. "The McWilliams got away the fol- lowing night late, was about 30 hours 'behind the Pathfinder as she left Ash- "fabula. She' is known as one of the 'Mitchell fleet and an old favorite since "95, always had run alone and was generally spoken of as a 12-mile-an- McWIULLIAMS. ture was of great profit to her on this half of the trip. Twelve Hours Behind the Pathfinder. "On Aeaving the Soo she was 12 hours behind the Pathfinder. No more rivers, no channels, plenty of room for passing the boats and clear weather--those were the conditions confronting the McWilliams as_ she once mote headed for White Fish point on the blue waters of Lake Superior. One point after another was passed. The very shortest course was Steered. Stannard Rock light was far astern that night when the captain bid his passengers 'good night, and assured them that daylight would very likely disclose the Path- finder. | "Wednesday morning, Aug. 23d, had a 'clear: day-break. "The watch on the Pathfinder never was so impatient for daylight before, ""Can you see anything back there?' asked the enginer of the mate as he confident. . eyes "sometimes and at. times poked his head up from the turret- -shaped companion-way. "Not light enough yet, replied the Hate : ' "Finally as old Sol was about to appear and the mist that seems to recede so quickly as he comes in view, .was rising, the mate thought the horizon astern looked very smoky, but was unable to assure himself that the smoke was due to anyone following. It was not until nearly 6 o'clock and after the master 'had peeped' several times that they were satisfied their. rival' was in sight, About 9 o'clock the master seemed 'We shall be by Two Harbors before she reaches us,' he said, 'and then we'll see who goes through the piers first.' The Two Steamers Get Abreast. "The watch that was off duty didn't care' for sleep. that.: morning... All looked: astern. Great volumes of smoke continually poured from the McWilliams' stack. The Path- finder, too, delivered steadily huge clouds 'which reached far astern, enshrouding her consort trailing straight back to the McWilliams. The crew of the consort could be seen about the deck much more than usual. Other boats going and coming didn't seem to be in the hurry that the boat with the red band on hex stack was. She pointed straight for the Pathfinder and the Pathfinder pointed straight for the canal piers: Fifty miles, then 40, now 30 miles away lay the goal. It was about two o'clock when the Pathfinder passed Two Harbors. The McWilliams was then just astern and on the starboard: side of. the consort. About 2:30, and with what little wind there was directly astern, the two steamers were abreast. The passengers on the Mitchell -- boat waved to the lady and little boy on the Pathfinder. The crews all faced each other, but the masters hardly bestowed a glance on the other boat, neither did they look back at their funnels just then. It might be sug- gestive. Steadily but surely the Mc- Williams forged ahead. First her bow cleared the Pathfinder, then her stern and finally when a good length ahead she. .drew 'ovér. and 'took a position directly ahead of the Path- finder. 'Well, he might have been gracious enough to 'have held his course, said Capt. Stone, and then to himself he remarked, 'I think. we have got down to the 20-mile stretch.' "Stand by the tow line,' was the order. coe Aye, aye, sir.--The big _ whistle