forget the fairy 'you gave up for me, Lucy, the other day, the new Corsican fairy!" "A steam-boat will set off from Bristol to-morrow morning! Oh, father," cried Harry, "can you take me to see it?" "I can, Harry, and will with pleasure," said his father. "And Lucy?" said Harry, in a tone which showed, that his joy, great as it was, could not be complete without her. "And Lucy," said her father, "if the day be fine; but I cannot take her if it should rain." Next morning, Harry was up by daybreak, peeping out to see what kind of a day it was likely to be. A cloudy morning it was, at five o'clock; threatening rain desperately between six and seven; raining downright between eight and nine; and presently, it not only rained, but it poured so that all hope was over for Lucy. Splish! splash! Harry trudged after his father, through the dirty streets, scarcely hearing, not at all heeding, the rattling of carriages, rumbling of carts, rolling of barrels, jarring and jangling of iron bars dragged upon drays without wheels, over rough pavements, with all the indescribable clatter, and clangor, and clamor, and stunning din, of this most noisy of noisy cities. Nor did he feel the rain which poured over him. But when the heavy shower ceased, and when dripping umbrellas closed, and the sun, through the clouds, gave promise of a better day, Harry entreated his father to let him run back for Lucy. If his father would but wait for him five minutes, in a shop "this bookseller's shop, papa, I will be back in less than five minutes, and I will bring her very quickly and as safe as possible through the streets; may I, papa?" - "No," his father said, he could not wait, for the vessel would set off punctually at the appointed hour, and if they delayed five minutes, they should be too late. Then Harry thought they could never walk fast enough. On he kept, before his father, the rest of the way, till they came to a great crowd of people. Not only the lower class of idlers, but persons of all ranks assembled to see the departure of the steam-boat. Harry darted quickly after his father, while heads and elbows closed over him. He could not see farther than the backs and legs of the people before him, for some time; but he pierced through the darkness of the dense crowd of tall bodies, and emerged, at last, from under the elbow of a six-foothigh sea-captain, into full daylight. He found himself standing on the stone-pier of a large dock, at the very edge of the water, in the front row of a multitude of spectators, who covered the quay. Through the buzz of voices, the first thing he distinctly heard was "She will not get out this quarter of an hour- She will not get out till the tide lets them open the dock-gates." She, as Harry knew, meant the steam vessel; he rejoiced to find that they were in such good time. Now he had leisure to breathe, and to look about him. Close beneath the stone pier, on which he was standing, were several vessels, among which he first distinguished the steam-boat, by the faint grey smoke, which he saw rising from a black iron chimney, that stood in the middle of its deck. The boat had sails, but they were not spread, they were close furled, as unnecessary for the voyage. It appeared as if there were fewer sailors on board than in the other vessels: but all was in motion on her deck, and on the adjoining pier. Two men were rolling a chariot over planks laid from the pier to the edge of the vessel; others were dragging to its right place on the deck, another carriage; others held horses on the quay, who were to go into the boat, and who, with ears pointed forward, and expanded nostrils, drew back, and yet in a few instants patiently submitted to their fate: while the gentlemen to whom they belonged, or their servants, anxiously called out, giving directions about their valuable and their favourite horses. Groups of people, with bundles, baskets, boxes, bags, and umbrellas in their hands, stood by waiting, impatiently, till the horses and carriages were disposed of, and then they stretched their necks and their hands, and gave in their goods, with eager directions, to a sailor, who, balanced on a board, scarcely appearing even to listen to them, handed the packages as fast as he received them to another sailor behind him, repeating continually to the anxious proprietors They will all be safe; all will be taken good care of, Sir," or "Madam," as the case might be. Harry was astonished by the vast weight, number, and bulk of things, animate and inanimate, which were stowed on board, loads of boxes, and parcels, and baskets, trunks, chests, or packing-cases, besides the carriages and horses, and, after all, passengers crowding in innumerable. All these to be carried by steam, full against the wind, which was now rising. There was a man in a blue jacket, with a large |