y were born.

An Autumn Flood.

"I am going," said Mary's mamma, on another evening, to tell you
a story about Scotland, and about some children who went there by
sea, in a large steam-ship.

Their names were Charlotte, Helen, and Robert, and they went with
their papa and mamma to visit their uncle and aunt. They went in
August, when the weather is fine, and the days are long. They
left home in the evening, for the steamer was to start at ten
o'clock at night. There was a great bustle when they came to the
place where the ships lie in the river Thames. Many people were
getting their trunks and boxes in, and hurrying about. They liked
to see all this bustle, and to see their own trunks and boxes put
in. Then they stepped on board, across a wide, firm plank, and
jumped for joy to find themselves really in the ship, and going
to Scotland.

It was such a large steamer! They were surprised to see what a
length it was. Then they went into a handsome cabin, called the
saloon, beautifully lighted, with a great many people in it; and
after being there a little while they grew very tired, and their
mamma took them to the cabin where they were to sleep. When they
saw their beds, they all began to laugh. They looked just like
beds made on shelves, one above another. Two were on one side and
two on the other, of a kind of closet. But they soon crept in,
Charlotte and Helen one above another, and little Robert
opposite. The fourth bed was for their nurse, who was going with
them. They were all soon asleep. They never knew when the
steamer began to go fast down the river towards the sea.

In the morning when they awoke, first one and then another heard
a constant "thump, thump! bump, bump!" going on. This noise was
made by the great engine that turned the paddle-wheels, and moved
the ship on. And they felt the ship shaking, and trembling, and
rocking, and then they were surprised to hear that they were
already out of the river Thames, and had got into the salt sea.
They were in a great hurry to be dressed, and when they ran up
on the deck they saw the land on one side of them, and numbers of
ships all round them, with their white sails shining in the sun,
for it was a very fine morning. They tried to count them, but it
was very difficult; Charlotte counted a hundred, and Helen a
hundred and ten. As to little Robert, he was too delighted to
keep steady enough to count, and after trying once or twice,
declared that ther