from rolling off in a heavy sea. There were also sundry large brass pins for hanging cloaks and dresses upon, and brass rings projecting from the walls in the corners to put tumblers into.

Opening into the upper berth was a small, round window, deep set in the thickness of the ship's side, and there was also a very thick piece of glass, of prismatic shape, set in the deck above, making a sort of window there, six inches by three. Over the door, too, and extending along the whole of that side of the state-room, was a row of panes of glass, which admitted light from the passage-way, and from other panes set in mysterious recesses above.

Mrs. Morelle as soon as she had entered the state-room, drew back the curtain of the lower berth, and laid her shawl and her parasol upon the bed, while Grimkie placed the valise under the little seat between the two wash-stands.

Mrs. Morelle then sat down upon the settee and looked around to take a survey of the place, and then at the sky-light above. At the same time she drew a long breath and said,

"Ah me! This is rather a small cell to be shut up in as a prisoner for two weeks."

"Oh mother!" exclaimed Florence, "we shall not be shut up here. We can go about all over the ship."

"You children will do that," said Mrs. Morelle, "but I shall be shut up here. I shall be sick."

"But mother you will not be sick all the voyage," said Florence.

"Perhaps not," said she. "I am sure I shall not be very sick, all the voyage. After a day or two I shall be only comfortably sick, and you will all be perfectly well I am quite sure, and can run about wherever you please."

Then rising from her seat she said,

"But I need not begin my imprisonment yet. Let us go up on deck and see the people come on board."

So they all left the state-room, and making their way through the crowd as well as they could, they went up to the upper deck, where they found a great number of ladies and gentlemen assembled in various groups-some standing and others sitting upon settees and campstools, while the pier, which was here in full view, was crowded with other parties coming and going, and with porters bringing more trunks and baggage on board.

Grimkie found seats for his party, and they all sat down. They remained in these places an hour, amusing themselves with the extraordinary spectacle which was exhibiting itself around them.

As the time drew nigh for the sailing of the ship, the excitement of the scene was increased by the steam which having now been raised in the boilers to its full tension, and not yet being allowed to expend its energies in turning the paddles, made its escape through the waste-pipe with a thundering roar which made it almost impossible for the friends who were taking leave of each other to hear the parting word. From time to time the bell was rung, loud and rapidly, to warn those who were only on board as visitors to go on shore. A long and crowded procession of these visitors poured over the bridge to the pier, and when all were gone the bridge itself was raised, and hoisted to the shore, by a vast tackle and fall. The noise of the steam now suddenly ceased. The hawsers at the bow and at the stern were cast off, the paddle-wheels commenced their motion, and the ship began slowly to move away from the pier. A moment afterward two guns were fired one after another from the bows of the ship, with a deafening sound. The passengers standing along the hand-railing of the upper deck waved their hats and handkerchiefs to their friends who thronged the pier, and who waved their hats and handkerchiefs in return. Many of them were in tears. Mrs. Morelle herself might have experienced some

misgivings and have felt a little homesick and sad, at parting thus from her native land, and setting out upon so long a voyage with only three children, as it were, for her companions,but she was going to meet her husband; and when a wife is going to meet a husband that she loves, or a mother to her son, she rarely experiences any misgiving. Her heart reposes with so much confidence and hope, upon the end of her journey, that she seldom shrinks very much from any thing to be encountered on the way.

CHAPTER VI.

LIFE ON BOARD SHIP.

THE party enjoyed a very excellent opportunity, as the ship sailed down the harbor, of viewing the scenery of the shores, and of seeing the other ships, steamers and sail-boats, that were going in various directions to and fro. While Mrs. Morelle remained at this seat, Grimkie and John went to take a walk about the ship to see what they could see. There was no difficulty now in going where they pleased, for since the visitors had left the ship and none but the regular passengers remained, there was ample room for all.

Accordingly, Grimkie and John took a long ramble all about the ship. They looked down into the engine-room, and there, at a vast depth below the deck, they saw half-naked stokers shoveling coal into the furnace. They walked along by the ranges of offices which extended on each side of the main deck through the whole middle portion of the ship, like two little streets of shops in a town. They saw the cow—a mon