The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-21
RnsnI BnIstatp 31nn1nrr.

Turn the boys loose, Jim" be yelled
10 the engineer, and before his words had
uleu away across the water the choicest
VI lIllIammable materials was being
ram alllilied INTO the yawning furnaces. The
nand on the steam gauge crawled M
Slowly and as it advanced the engineer
opened the valves wider. The increased
speed was noted at once. So close to-
getner dld the throbs OF the engine come
tnat they appeared like a steady vibra-
Ion. IN twenty minutes the Aull was so
CLOSE lhat her every outline was clearly
NIslDle IN the brilliant moonlight. Her
CapJaln saw that the tombstone was gain
ing rapidly and the volume of sparks
!haI poured from her stacks in n roll Of
my smoke TOD that SOrgensen meant
70 Keep ahead If the expenditure of fuel
would do it.
TEARING ALONG SIDE BY SIDE.
The tombstone gained steadily. In two
hours the boats were abreast. ten wards
apart; The Captain of the Aull could be
neafd shouting his orders TO the men.
ne was everywhere. One moment he
would be telling the engineer what to do,
lne next would find him directing the
p!aclhg OF fuel, at another he would have
ms nand on the wheel in the pilot-houSe
~ an endeavor to make a short cut in the
river. The lights from the furnaces of
poth boats cleaned on the surface Of the
wafer, rlNallng the moons brilliant rays
ne passengers on each of the boats could
near the others, as they talked excitedly
OF the race. The noses of the boats were
eAactly together as they entered the long
and beautiful stretch of river lust below
hocheport. On the right a rocky wall,
covered with clinging ivy, rose to a hight
OF 100 feet. over it the full moon beamed,
put The shadow of the great bluff ex-
Tended across to the other side of the
stream. Into this narrow, deep, black
river the boats plunged like things of
lie. The Johnstone had little advan-
tage, and not a side of meat had been
used.
pile on the bacon, boysv' Bristow
now shouted, and with a yell the grease
was hurried into the furnaces. The AulPs
Captain felt that he was beaten. He bad
used the best of his fuel early in the race.
Pile her on, boysn' shouted Bristow.
Keep her hot ~
Inch by inch the tombstone moved
ahead.
There's butter on board !" cried Miss
Bernard. Burn it, and Phi pay. The
Aull must win."
50 butter in cakes and baskets was
smeared over sticks Of wood and fed to
the greedy flames in the boats furnaces.
her engines responded, TOO, for the slight
gain that the tombstone had accomplished
" et9 SUM OFSlCOliles anu the AIlll passed
the other boat. Bristow shouted orders
and the measured "choo, choo" of the
exhaust pipes became hoarser than ever.
1t was neck and neck. Then the john
stone began to gain again.
There was bend ahead where the
blutf broke for a few feet, only to rise
higher than ever dozen yards beyond
For this bend the boats worked. The
thing was to reach it first. Bristow with
his own hands piled the meat into his
furnaces until the Johnstone again passed
the Aul!. 1t was something akin to a
curse that Sorgenson uttered when
he found the last OF his choice fuel
spent. On, on sped the tombstone.
II was ten yards ahead and gaining
More food for the flames! Twenty yards
and at the bend first 4 mighty Shout
went up from the Johnstone's decks
when the boat rounded so that the Aull
could not be seen. 1t was soon visible
again, however, but the tombstone was
gaining each minute of the time. In half
an hour it was fifty yards ahead. In
another hour it had rounded another
bend and the race was won.