am?"

Swiftly the boats sped past the smiling, picturesque villages dotting
each side, and entered the bolder parts of the majestic river, where the
high banks curve sharply round into mimic bays. And now the passengers,
seeing the great danger in these sudden turns, vainly entreated the
captain of the Henry Clay to give up the race, and have a regard for
their lives. But his passions were aroused, and he turned a deaf ear to
their remonstrances; he cared nothing for their precious lives in
comparison with being beaten by his opponent; and he was only awakened
to a sense of his broken trust, by a shriek of horror and a simultaneous
crash! as the America came into violent collision with the Henry Clay.

Fortunately the damage done was not great; but the people on the Henry
Clay had not recovered from their fright and excitement, as she stopped
at Poughkeepsie to receive more passengers.

Waiting at the wharf was a tall, fair and graceful lady. She held by the
hand a sweet little girl, about ten years of age, whose large, dark,
dreamy eyes, transparent purity of complexion, and great delicacy of
form and feature, caused her to seem scarcely an inhabitant of earth,
but rather an aerial being, whom a breath of wind might melt away like a
summer cloud. Not that the little one was either sad or grave; on the
contrary, as she held her mother's hand a continual little dancing
motion, and a childish song, that came in broken snatches from her rosy
and beautiful mouth, caused many to turn and smile upon her, and rejoice
in her innocent gayety.

"Now, dear mother," said Maggie, in a sweet coaxing voice, "let us hurry
on board, or the boat will leave us. I want to see my dear father this
very night."

But the mother had a vague presentiment that made her reluctant to go.
She observed the excitement, and apparent confusion, on the crowded
boat, and if she had not thought that yielding to a presentiment was
foolish, she would have turned back. As it was, after hesitating until
the last moment, she stepped on board, trembling at she knew not what,
and her feelings of disquiet were greatly increased, when the ladies in
the saloon informed her of the disaster that had already occurred.

But little Maggie, in her childlike and happy ignorance of any thing to
fear, was delighted with all she saw. She flitted hither and thither,
with her little dancing step, and her bird-like song, now gazing at the
diamond sparkles in the river, now