over, they stopped a few minutes to gaze at the scene spread out around
them. Oscar and Alfred pointed out to the strangers the various
objects of interest, and they then continued their walk without
interruption until they reached the Monument grounds, on Bunker Hill.
After examining the noble granite shaft which commemorates the first
great battle of the American Revolution, they threw themselves down
upon the grass, to contemplate at their leisure the fine panorama which
this hill affords on a clear day.

After lingering half an hour around the Monument, they turned their
steps towards the Navy-Yard. On reaching it, they found a soldier
slowly pacing back and forth, in front of the gate-way; but he made no
objection to their entering. Joseph and Stephen, who had never before
visited an establishment of this kind, were first struck by the extent
of the yard, and the air of order and neatness which seemed everywhere
to prevail. They gazed with curiosity upon the long rows of iron
cannons interspersed with pyramids of cannon-balls, piled up in exact
order, which were spread out upon the parks. Then their wonder was
excited by the dry-dock, with its smooth granite walls, its massive
gates, and its capacious area, sufficient to float the largest frigate.
The lofty ship-houses in which vessels are constructed, and the long
stone rope-walk, with its curious machinery, also attracted their
attention. So interested were they in these things, that nearly two
hours elapsed before they started for home.

On their way back to the hotel, Joseph entertained Alfred and Oscar
with some incidents of his life. His mother, he said, died when he was
quite young. His father went to sea as the captain of a ship, two
years before, and had never been heard from. He had rich relatives,
who wanted him to go to West Point and be a cadet, but he did not like