of the landing stairs, and
Mr. George and Rollo got into it.

The boatman waited until the steamer came pretty near, and then he rowed
out to meet it. He stopped rowing when the boat was opposite to the
paddle wheel of the steamer, and the steamer stopped her engine at the
same time. A man who stood on the paddle box threw a rope to the boat,
and the boatman made this rope fast to a belaying pin that was set for
the purpose near the bow of the boat. By means of this rope the boat was
then drawn rapidly up alongside the steamer, at a place directly aft the
paddle wheel, where there was a little stairway above, and a small
platform below, both of which, when not in use, were drawn up out of the
way, but which were always let down when passengers were to come on
board. As soon as the boat came alongside this apparatus, Rollo and Mr.
George stepped out upon the platform, and went up the little stairway,
the hands on board the steamer standing there to help them. In a moment
more the trunk was passed up, the boat was pushed off, and the paddle
wheels of the steamer were put in motion; and thus, almost before Rollo
had time to think what was going on, he found himself comfortably seated
on a camp stool under the awning, by the side of Mr. George, on the
quarter deck of the steamer, and sailing swiftly along on his voyage up
the river.

"What sudden transitions we pass through," said, Mr. George, "in
travelling on the Rhine!"

"Yes," said Rollo, "it seems scarcely five minutes ago that I was
sitting, all by myself, on the bank of a lonesome river, fishing; and
now I am on board a steamer, with all this company, and dashing away
through the water at a great rate."

"True," said Mr. George; "and how quickly we came on board! One minute
we are creeping along slowly over the water in a little boat, and the
next, as if by some sort of magic, we find ourselves on the deck of the
steamer, with the boat drifting away astern."

"How high the mountains are," said Rollo, "along the shores here! Do the
mountains end at Bingen?"

"Yes," said Mr. George, "at Bingen, or soon after that. There the
country opens, and the banks of the river become level and flat. The
river widens, and there are a great many islands in it. There we come to
railroads again too, for where the land is level they can make railroads
very easily. It would be very difficult to make a railroad here, though
I believe they are going to do it."

"I should think it