“Nice mess we’d be in, if the engine should break down,” remarked Aleck.
“If anything is going to happen, now’s the time,” said Tom. “We’re just about in the middle of the river.”
A big excursion steamer was passing astern. Many passengers, crowding to the rails, watched the house-boat with every evidence of interest. Several waved their hands and shouted, and the boys answered with yells and whistles and all the noise of which they were capable, until the boat began to rock and wobble on the heavy swells.
“Thunderation!” exclaimed Joe, loudly.
His stool had flown from under him; and Joe, wildly grasping at the empty air, sprawled full length on the deck, and but for Dave’s prompt assistance would have rolled into the river.
“Jiminy!” panted the boy, picking himself up, rather red and confused.
“Came near being a good cold bath for one,” grinned Aleck. And all laughed but the victim.
The bold, rocky forms of the Palisades began to stand out clearly. At their base and part way up the slope were masses of trees and vegetation; but the general appearance was that of an almost vertical wall, now glistening in the sunlight, then deep in shadow. The cliffs looked so big and grand that all were impressed.
“I tell you what,” remarked Jack, after a long survey, “it’s a mighty good thing the quarrymen were stopped from blasting those rocks. I heard father say they were doing enormous damage, and spoiling the——”
“Natural beauty of the scene,” suggested Joe.