on the top of an omnibus, and in
this way they rode down the Strand and through the heart of London. They
were obliged to proceed slowly, so great was the throng of carts,
wagons, drays, cabs, coaches, and carriages that encumbered the streets.
In about an hour, however, they were set down a little beyond the
Tower.

"Now," said Mr. George, "the question is, whether I can find the way to
the dock gates."

"Have you got a ticket?" asked Rollo.

"No," said Mr. George; "I presume a ticket is not necessary."

"I presume it _is_ necessary," said Rollo. "You never can go any where,
or get into any thing, in London, without a ticket."

"Well," said Mr. George, "we will see. At any rate, if tickets are
required, there must be some way of getting them at the gate."

Mr. George very soon found his way to the entrance of the docks. It was
at the end of a short street, the name and position of which he had
studied out on the map before leaving home. He took care to be set down
by the omnibus near this street; and by this means he found his way very
easily to his place of destination.

The entrance was by a great gateway. The gateway was wide open, and
trains of carts, and crowds of men,--mechanics, laborers, merchants,
clerks, and seamen,--were going and coming through it.

"We need not have concerned ourselves about a ticket," said Mr. George.

"No," said Rollo. "I see."

"The entrance is as public as any street in London," said Mr. George.

So saying, our two travellers walked on and passed within the
enclosures.

As soon as they were fairly in, they stopped at the corner of a sort of
sidewalk and looked around. The view which was presented to their eyes
formed a most extraordinary spectacle. Forests of masts extended in
every direction. Near them rose the hulls of great ships, with men going
up and down the long plank stairways which led to the decks of them.
Here and there were extended long platforms bordering the docks, with
immense piles of boxes, barrels, bales, cotton and coffee bags, bars of
iron, pigs of lead, and every other species of merchandise heaped up
upon them. Carts and drays were going and coming, loaded with goods
taken from these piles; while on the other hand the piles themselves
were receiving continual additions from the ships, through the new
supplies which the seamen and laborers were hoisting out from the
hatchways.

Here and there, too, the smoke and the puffing vapor of a steamer were