TowhichnotverycostlybanterIsabelrespondedinkind，andrapidlysketchedthelifetheycouldleadaboard。Sincetheycouldnothelpit，theymockedthepublicprovisionwhich，leavingnointervalbetweendisgracefulsqualorandludicroussplendor，accommodatesourdemocratic’menage’tothetasteoftherichestandmostextravagantplebeianamongstus。He，unhappily，mindsdangerandoppressionaslittleashemindsmoney，solongashehasaspectacleandasensation，anditisthisruthlessimbecilewhowillhavelacecurtainstothesteamboatberthintowhichhegetswithhispantaloonson，andoutofwhichhemaybeblownbyanexplodingboileratanymoment；itishewhowillhaveforsupperthatovergrownandshapelessdinnerinthelowersaloon，andwillnotletanyoneelsebuyteaortoastforalesssumthanhepaysforhissurfeit；itishewhoperpetuatestheinsolenceoftheclerkandthereluctanceofthewaiters；itishe，infact，whonowcomesoutofthesaloon，withhiswomenkind，andtakeschairsundertheawningwhereBasilandIsabelsit。Personally，heisnotsobad；heisgood-looking，likeallofus；heisbetterdressedthanmostofus；hebehaveshimselfquietly，ifnoteasily；andnolordsoloathesascene。NextyearheisgoingtoEurope，wherehewillnotshowtosomuchadvantageashere；butforthepresentitwouldbehardtosayinwhatwayheisvulgar，andperhapsvulgarityisnotsocommonathingafterall。
Itwassomethingbesidestheriverthatmadetheairsomuchmoresufferablethanithadbeen。Overthecity，sinceourfriendshadcomeaboardtheboat，ablackcloudhadgatheredandnowhunglowuponit，whilethewindfromthefaceofthewatertookthedustintheneighboringstreets，andfrolickeditaboutthehouse-tops，andinthefacesofthearrivingpassengers，who，asthemomentofdeparturedrewnear，appearedinconstantlyincreasingnumbersandingreatervariety，withnotonlythetrepidationofgoinguponthem，butalsowiththeelectricalexcitementpeoplefeelbeforeatempest。
Thebreastoftheblackcloudwasnowzigzaggedfrommomenttomomentbylightning，andclapsofdeafeningthunderbrokefromit。Atlastthelongenduranceofthedaywasspent，andoutofitsconvulsionburstfloodsofrain，againandagainsweepingthepromenade-deckwherethepeoplesat，anddrivingthemdisconsolateintothesaloon。Theairwasdarkenedasbynight，andwithmanyregretsforthevanishingprospect，mingledwithasenseofrelieffromtheheat，ourfriendsfelttheboattrembleawayfromhermooringsandsetforthuponhertrip。
“Ah！ifwehadonlytakenthedayboat！“moanedIsabel。“Now，weshallseenothingoftheriverlandscape，andweshallneverbeabletoputourselvesdownwhenwelongforEurope，bydeclaringthatthesceneryoftheHudsonismuchfinerthanthatoftheRhine。“
Yettheyresolved，thisindomitablygood-naturedcouple，thattheywouldbejusteventotheelements，whichhadbynomeansbeengeneroustothem；andtheyownedthatifsonobleastormhadcelebratedtheirdepartureuponsomestoriedriverfromsomemoreromanticportthanNewYork，theywouldhavethoughtitanadmirablething。Evenwhilsttheycontentedthemselves，thestormpassed，andleftaveiledandhumidskyoverhead，thatgaveacharmingsoftnesstothesceneonwhichtheireyesfellwhentheycameoutofthesaloonagain，andtooktheirplaceswithalargelyincreasedcompanionshiponthedeck。