"We have done more than any of you, I Recollect that we have at the

guess.

"Three hundred!" said Harry, with a tone of admiration. "But recollect," added he, "that it is by our help that you have all these. You know we sent the first model to America."

"We Scotch," interposed the Scotchman, in a low voice.

"That model helped, I acknowledge," said the American.

"Then," added Harry, "if we helped you in the beginning, you that have a whole new world to yourselves, will help us in the end, I hope.'

"All fair, and I hope we shall; so shake hands," said the American, shaking Harry heartily by the hand. "For one, I promise you, if ever you come to America, my little man, I will make you heartily welcome; and if you please, you shall go in a steam boat on the Mississipi, and

Missouri, and on the Ohio, some thousands of miles. That would please you, I guess?"

"I am sure it would," said Harry. Gratitude to these kind gentlemen, and the enthusiasm which had been excited in Harry's mind, quite overcoming his habitual taciturnity, he went on talking of this glorious invention. "After a hundred years working at it, it is at last," said he, "brought to perfection."

"Perfection!" repeated his father. Harry, that is saying too much."

"Too much for any human invention, sir," said the Scotchman. "And as we know even at present, there is much more to be done for these steam vessels."

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"And much is doing," continued Harry's father; men of science and genius are going on continually, making improve

"Just before I left London," said the Englishman, " I heard of a number of capital improvements, preparing for our steam

VOL. II.

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boats, which will make them more durable and safer than they are at present."

The American nodded with an air of great satisfaction, and some mystery.

"Can the steam boats be made safer than they are?" said Harry.

"Since accidents have happened," said the captain, they may happen again; but many that have will hardly occur again. We shall guard against them in future."

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May I ask, sir," said Harry, very respectfully; "might I ask what was the cause of those accidents, and how you guard against them now?"

"You may ask, and welcome, my eager little, man," said the captain, with a goodhumoured smile; "but I cannot undertake to answer you all this at once, or at any time. Certainly not now, my dear little fellow," added he, looking at his watch, "for I must be off. So good-bye to you."

THE poor woman with her child stood close to the place where Harry must pass, when he was to land. With a grateful smile, she said to him, as he came near,

"Master, my child here is a deal the better for that sweet sleep she had; thanks to you for it."

Pleased, yet ashamed to have this said to him, in the hearing of several people who were standing by, Harry coloured up to the ears, and answered in a blunt manner, and in a rude tone

"Do not thank me for nothing. I did nothing at all."

The child, running before him so as to stop him, as he would have pushed on, held up her cocoa nut, and said,

"I will give you this. Take it- do." "Oh no! I cannot take it from you," said Harry; "but thank you, thank you."

The child still held up the cocoa nut, and Harry seeing that she looked vexed by his refusal, took it from her hands, and turning back, rolled it along the deck.

"Run after it; run!" said he; "and thank you as much as if I had it. Good bye."

The child ran after the rolling ball, and Harry sprung from the boat on shore. A chaise was procured at Lamplighter's Hall, an inn near the landing place, and his father and he were now to go in it back to Clifton. Harry's head was so full of the steam boat, that he could think and talk of nothing else all the way.

"Father, among other advantages which steam boats have over carriages with horses and men, there is this great one, that the steam engines neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep. And steam never grows tired, but horses and men must rest sometimes."

"I wish you would rest now, Harry, a little," said his father, "and do not kick my shins in your transports."

"I beg your pardon," said Harry. "But, father, I do not see why a steam boat should not go on for weeks and months, just as well as for hours and days.