imly discerned among the
misty clouds.

Long before this time, however, Mrs. Parkman had become quite sick. She
first began to feel dizzy, and then she turned pale, and finally she
came and sat down by her husband, and leaned her head upon his shoulder.

She had been sitting in this posture for nearly half an hour, when at
length she seemed to feel better, and she raised her head again.

"Are we not nearly there?" said she.

"Yes," said her husband. "The lighthouse is right ahead, and the ends of
the piers. In ten minutes more we shall be going in between them, and
then all the trouble will be over."

Rollo and Mr. George were at this time near the bows. They had gone
there to look forward, in order to get as early a glimpse as possible
of the boats that they knew were to be expected to come out from the
pier as soon as the steamer should draw nigh.

"Here they come!" said Rollo, at length.

"Yes," said Mr. George. "I see them."

It was so nearly dark that the boats could not be seen distinctly.
Indeed there was not much to be discerned but a black moving mass,
slowly coming out from under the walls of the pier.

The steamer had now nearly reached the ground where she was to anchor,
and so the seamen on the forecastle took in the foresail, which had been
spread during the voyage, and the helmsman put down the helm. The head
of the steamer then slowly came round till it pointed in a direction
parallel to the shore. This carried the boats and the pier somewhat out
of view from the place where Mr. George and Rollo had been standing.

"Now we can see them better aft," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George, "and they will board us aft too; so we had
better be there ready."

Accordingly Mr. George and Rollo went aft again, and approached the
gangway on the side where they supposed the boats would come.

In going there they passed round first on the other side of the entrance
to the cabin, where the two ladies were sitting that have already been
described. As they went by one of the gentlemen came to them and said,--

"Keep up your courage a few minutes longer. We are very near the pier.
In ten minutes we shall be in smooth water, and all will be over."

The ladies seemed much relieved and rejoiced to hear this, and then the
gentleman went with Mr. George and Rollo towards the gangway, in order
that they might make further observations. He was joined there a moment
afterwards by his companion. Now, these gentlem