boat, which is anchored at a short distance
from the shore, and then a massive platform is built, extending from the
quay to this boat. The boat, being afloat, rises and falls with the
river; and thus the end of the platform which rests upon it is kept
always at the proper level for the landing of the passengers, so that,
whatever may be the state of the water, they go over on a level plank.
This is a very convenient arrangement for such a river as the Rhine,
which rises and falls considerably at different seasons, on account of
the variation in the quantity of rain, and in the melting of the snows,
on the mountains in Switzerland.

Bingen is one of the towns where there is a floating pier of this kind,
and Mr. George and Rollo were safely landed upon it about eight o'clock.
It was a very pleasant evening. As they approached the town, before they
landed, they both walked forward towards the bows of the vessel, to see
what sort of a place it was where they were going to spend the night.

"It is just like Coblenz," said Mr. George, "only on a small scale."

It was indeed very much like Coblenz in its situation, for it was built
on a point of land formed between the Rhine and the Nahe, a branch which
came in here from the westward, just as Coblenz was at the junction of
the Rhine and the Moselle. There was a bridge across the Moselle, you
recollect, just at the mouth of it, on the lower side of the town, which
bridge was made to accommodate the travellers going up and down the
Rhine on that side. There was just such a bridge across the mouth of the
Nahe. So that the situation of the town was in all respects very similar
to that of Coblenz.

Just below the town there was a small green island covered with
shrubbery, and on the upper end of the island was a high, square tower,
standing alone.

"That's must be Bishop Hatto's Tower," said Mr. George.

"Who was he?" asked Rollo.

"He was a man that was eaten up by the rats," said Mr. George, "because
he called the poor people rats, and burned up a great many of them in
his barn. The story is in the guide book. I will read it to you when we
get to the hotel."

By this time the boat had glided by the island, and the tower was out of
view; and very soon afterwards Mr. George and Rollo were landed on the
floating pier, as I have already said. There were very few people to
land, and the boat seemed merely to touch the pier and then to glide
away again.

There were several