ings as they swept around the big bend, and Albany--Albany, hove in
view. Albany, the first chartered city of the United States; Albany, the
capital of all the Empire State; Albany, the thriving metropolis with
nearly six thousand living human souls; Albany with its State House,
beautiful and dignified, looking down the mighty Hudson highway that led
to the open sea.

Rolf knew his Bible, and now he somewhat realized the feelings of St.
Paul on that historic day when his life-long dream came true, when
first he neared the Eternal City--when at last he glimpsed the towers of
imperial, splendid Rome.

The long-strung docks were massed and webbed with ship rigging; the
water was livened with boats and canoes; the wooden warehouses back of
the docks were overtopped by wooden houses in tiers, until high above
them all the Capitol itself was the fitting climax.

Rolf knew something of shipping, and amid all the massed boats his eyes
fell on a strange, square-looking craft with a huge water-wheel on each
side. Then, swinging into better view, he read her name, the Clermont,
and knew that this was the famous Fulton steamer, the first of the
steamboat age.

But Bill was swamped by no such emotion. Albany, Hudson, Clermont, and
all, were familiar stories to him and he stolidly headed the canoe for
the dock he knew of old.

Loafers roosting on the snubbing posts hailed him, at first with
raillery; but, coming nearer, he was recognized. "Hello, Bill; back
again? Glad to see you," and there was superabundant help to land the
canoe.

"Wall, wall, wall, so it's really you," said the touter of a fur house,
in extremely friendly voice; "come in now and we'll hev a drink."

"No, sir-ree," said Bill decisively, "I don't drink till business is
done."

"Wall, now, Bill, here's Van Roost's not ten steps away an' he hez
tapped the finest bar'l in years."

"No, I tell ye, I'm not drinking--now."

"Wall, all right, ye know yer own business. I thought maybe ye'd be glad
to see us."

"Well, ain't I?"

"Hello, Bill," and Bill's fat brother-in-law came up. "Thus does me good,
an' yer sister is spilin' to see ye. We'll hev one on this."

"No, Sam, I ain't drinkin'; I've got biz to tend."

"Wall, hev just one to clear yer head. Then settle yer business and come
back to us."

So Bill went to have one to clear his head. "I'll be back in two
minutes, Rolf," but Rolf saw him no more for many days.

"You better come along, cub," call