d
coming in all directions, and crowding their way to and from the boats;
and every two or three minutes a steamer, having received its load,
would push off from the platform, and paddle its way swiftly up the
river among a multitude of others that were shooting swiftly along, in
all directions, over the water.

The volumes of dense, black smoke which rolled up from the funnels of
the steamers made the atmosphere very thick and murky; and the whole
scene, as Mr. George and Rollo looked down upon it from the parapet
above, for a time seemed almost to bewilder them.

"Let us go down and take a sail in one of those steamers," said Mr.
George.

"Where do they go to?" said Rollo.

"I don't know," said Mr. George.

"Well," said Rollo, "let us go."

So saying, Mr. George and Rollo walked on towards the end of the bridge.
Here they found a broad stone staircase, which turned off from the great
thoroughfare, at a place near the corner of a large stone building. The
staircase was very broad and massive, and was covered with people going
up and coming down.

"This must be a way down to the landing," said Mr. George.

So our two travellers began to descend; and, after turning several
square corners in the staircase, they came out into the street which led
along the margin of the river, at a level of twenty or thirty feet below
the bridge. This street passed through under one of the _dry arches_ of
the bridge, as they are called; that is, one built on the sloping margin
of the shore, where no water flows. They passed across this street, and
then entered a broad passage way which led down towards the floating
platforms. There were a great many people coming and going. They stopped
at the toll house on one of the little bridges to pay the fare.

"How much is to pay?" said Mr. George to the tollman, taking out his
purse.

"Where do you wish to go?" said the tollman.

"I don't know," said Mr. George, looking at Rollo; "about a mile or two
up the river."

"To Hungerford landing?" asked the tollman.

"Yes," said Mr. George.

"Or Westminster?" said the tollman.

"Yes," said Mr. George, "we will go to Westminster."

"Twopence each," said the tollman.

So Mr. George and Rollo each laid down two pennies on the little counter
in the window sill, and the man giving them each a little paper ticket,
they passed on.

"Now the question is," said Mr. George, "how to find out what boat we
are to get into. Here is an orange wo