re seemed to be cast out, and Bobby could not but feel
sorry for him. Duty was imperative, as it always is, and it must be
done "now or never."

During the day the little merchant attended to the packing of his
stock, and to such other preparations as were required for his
journey. He must take the steamer that evening for Bath, and when the
time for his departure arrived, he was attended to the wharf by Mr.
Bayard and Ellen, with whom he had passed the afternoon. The
bookseller assisted him in procuring his ticket and berth, and gave
him such instructions as his inexperience demanded.

The last bell rang, the fasts were cast off, and the great wheels of
the steamer began to turn. Our hero, who had never been on the water
in a steamboat, or indeed anything bigger than a punt on the river at
home, was much interested and excited by his novel position. He
seated himself on the promenade deck, and watched with wonder the
boiling, surging waters astern of the steamer.

How powerful is man, the author of that mighty machine that bore him
so swiftly over the deep blue waters! Bobby was a little philosopher,
as we have before had occasion to remark, and he was decidedly of the
opinion that the steamboat was a great institution. When he had in
some measure conquered his amazement, and the first ideas of sublimity
which the steamer and the sea were calculated to excite in a poetical
imagination, he walked forward to take a closer survey of the
machinery. After all, there was something rather comical in the
affair. The steam hissed and sputtered, and the great walking beam
kept flying up and down; and the sum total of Bobby's philosophy was,
that it was funny these things should make the boat go so like a race
horse over the water.

Then he took a look into the pilot house, and it seemed more funny
that turning that big wheel should steer the boat. But the wind blew
rather fresh at the forward part of the boat, and as Bobby's
philosophy was not proof against it, he returned to the promenade
deck, which was sheltered from the severity of the blast. He had got
reconciled to the whole thing, and ceased to bother his head about the
big wheel, the sputtering steam, and the walking beam; so he seated
himself, and began to wonder what all the people in Riverdale were
about.

"All them as hasn't paid their fare, please walk up to the cap'n's
office and s-e-t-t-l-e!" shouted a colored boy, presenting himself
just then, and furiousl