A full moon shone behind dark clouds, and sometimes lightning touched the woods. But for the distant thunder, the night was calm, and the clank of the Firefly’s engines carried far. In the North, when the days are hot, thunderstorms are numerous.
Firefly’sThe St. Martin River, swollen by melting snow on the Rockies’ peaks, ran fast, and the steamer swung about on the angry stream. Sparks blew from her rusty stack, her cracked deck-planks trembled, and Fothergill, leaning against the stern-wheel guards, felt the timbers shake.
On one side, the river sparkled, and rocks and trees rolled by in silver light, but the pilot-house and deck load cut Fothergill’s view in front. The Firefly burned wood, and a luminous blue cloud trailed behind the boat. In the morning she would make the factory wh
