hungry."

On going to the saloon they were delighted to find that their seats were at the captain's table, and any one who has crossed the ocean with Captain Hains knows what a treat they had before them, if it should be a nice passage and he could be in his seat at the head of the table.

In the afternoon the ship rolled, and when dinner was announced Mrs. Winter thought she would take hers on deck. She was not sick, but was afraid if she left the air she might be. Mr. Winter and Alice went to the table, and Alice was surprised to see the vacant seats around the room. The racks were on the table, so the dishes were held in place, but Alice found it rather uncomfortable keeping her chair.

In the morning Mrs. Winter was too ill to leave her berth, but Alice never felt better in her life. The captain was so pleased to have her at the table to breakfast he put her in her mamma's seat next to him, and when she told him it was her birthday he said, "You shall have a nice cake for your dinner."

After breakfast Alice went up on deck with Mr. Winter, who put her in a comfortable place and covered her up nice and warm. He went down to see his wife.

The sea was a deep, bright blue, with lovely white caps, and when the sun shone on them Alice could see a rainbow on every wave.

Alice became tired of sitting in her chair, and went to the rail to look over the side and see how pretty the water looked as the ship cut through it. Soon the young girl whom she had seen the day before came up to her and said, "Have you ever crossed before?"

Alice said, "No, have you?"

"Oh, yes, several times; and I do enjoy every minute, for I am never sick."

Alice asked her name, and she answered, "Nellie Ford. What is yours and where are you going?"

Alice told her name and that she was going to Nuremberg.

Nellie said, "I have never been there. We are going to Brussels, and it is such a beautiful city."

They talked on until the gong sounded, and agreed to meet again after lunch.

At dinner that night Alice found the cake which the captain had promised her on the table. After thanking him, she asked if she might send a piece of it to her new friend.

"Of course, my dear," said the captain. "It is yours to do with just as you please."

The second day was very much like the first, only Mrs. Winter was able to be on deck, and Nellie Ford introduced her to Mr. and Mrs. Ford, and they soon settled to a little party of six, as passengers on a steamer are very apt to do.

The two girls were together all the time, and joined in a game of ring toss with some more of the young people.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—Page 37.

The days passed away, one very much like another—some pleasant, some stormy and rough, some foggy, with the whistles being blown every two minutes. Alice felt that she should be glad when she saw land again.

One night they met a steamer, and it did look very pretty all lighted up. The "Etruria" set off Roman candles, which were answered by the steamer, and Alice thought that was the most interesting evening of all, even more so than the night of the concert.

The "Etruria" made a very quick trip, and reached Queenstown Friday afternoon. Alice was writing letters in the saloon to send home, when suddenly the steamer stopped.

"Oh, dear, what is the matter?" she cried, jumping to her feet. A gentleman sitting near her said, "It is a fog, and as we are very near Fastnet Rock they do not dare to go on."

Soon a gun was heard in answer to the steamer's whistle, and the gentleman said, "We must be right there now."

Alice went up on deck rather frightened, but as suddenly as the fog had settled upon them it lifted, and directly ahead of them was the straight rock rising out of the water like a sentinel.

The "Etruria" ran up her signal flags and then started on, and in three hours was off Queenstown Harbor, where the tug was waiting for their mails and the few passengers who wished to be landed.

CHAPTER IV.
A FIRST GLIMPSE OF ENGLAND.

Queenstown was soon a thing of the past, and when they went to their rooms the packing was finished, so that the next morning all the time could be spent upon the deck until they landed.

It was a clear, bright morning, but very cold and windy, when the steamer was left to take the tug. On leaving the tug, Alice and Nellie were very careful to each put her left foot first on the dock, as they had been told it would bring them good luck.

There was not much to interest our party in Liverpool except the docks, which of course Alice had been told were the finest in the world. After leaving the Custom House they were driven to the North Western Hotel, and the ladies and two girls waited in the parlor in front of an enormous soft-coal fire, while Mr. Ford and Mr. Winter went into the station, which joins the hotel, and engaged a compartment for London.

Opposite the hotel they could see St. George's Hall, with its two statues in front, one of Queen Victoria and the other of her husband, Prince Albert, when they were young.

Suddenly a noise of horses being rapidly driven was heard, and the girls ran to the window just in time to see the high sheriff's carriage of state being driven to the hotel to take him away to open court. It was very elegant, with its satin linings and the four beautiful horses.

The footmen stood up at the back of the carriage, holding themselves on by leather straps. Four men in uniform stood in the street and blew on trumpets until the sheriff was out of sight.

The girls thought it very interesting, but Mrs. Winter said, "A sheriff's position in England must be very different from that in America, where they usually go about in the quietest manner possible."

Mr. Winter and Mr. Ford came in and told them it was time to get some lunch. A very nice one they had, and Alice was particularly interested in the table on wheels, with the joints of meat on it, which was pushed about to each person to select the cut of meat he liked.

Mr. Ford advised their going to the Hotel Victoria in London, as he had tried many others and liked that one the best; so they had telegraphed for rooms before starting on the two o'clock train. All the party were in good spirits, and glad to be on dry land.

Mrs. Winter and Alice did not like the carriage, as it is called in England, as well as the drawing-room car at home, but enjoyed every moment of the journey.

England is like a large garden, every portion being under cultivation; the fields are so green and full of large, beautiful sheep grazing everywhere.

"O mamma, how much more lovely the hedges are than our fences and walls at home!" said Alice.

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Winter. "I have always heard they were lovely, but I did not think they would add so much to the beauties of the landscape."

Harrow, with its school on the hill, was passed, and caused some interest to the girls. London was reached before they realized it, and they were driven to the Hotel Victoria in two four-wheeled cabs called "growlers"—why, they did not know, unless people "growl" at their