mn of water before them, which seemed to
grow larger and higher the nearer they drew to it. At length they
reached the part of the road which was directly opposite to it. Here
there was a path which turned off from the road and led up through the
pasture towards the foot of the fall. The entrance to this path was
beset by children who had little boxes full of crystals and other
shining minerals which they wished to sell to visitors for souvenirs of
the place.

Mr. George and Rollo turned into this path and attempted to advance
towards the foot of the fall; but they soon found themselves stopped by
the spray. In fact, the whole region all around the foot of the fall,
for a great distance, was so full of mist and driving spray that going
into it was like going into a rain storm. Mr. George and Rollo soon
found that they were getting thoroughly wet and that it would not do to
go any farther.

"And so," said Rollo, in a disappointed tone, "though we have taken the
pains to come all this way to see the waterfall, we can't get near
enough to see it after all."

Mr. George laughed.

"I wish we had brought an umbrella," said Rollo.

"An umbrella would not have done much good," replied Mr. George. "The
wind whirls about so much that it would drive the spray upon us
whichever way we should turn the umbrella."

"The path goes on a great deal nearer," said Rollo. "Somebody must go
there, at any rate, without minding the spray."

"Perhaps," said Mr. George, "when the wind is in some other quarter, it
may blow the spray away, so that people can go nearer the foot of the
fall without getting wet. At any rate, it is plain that we cannot go any
nearer now."

Saying these words, Mr. George led the way back towards the road, and
Rollo followed him.

After retreating far enough to get again into a dry atmosphere, they
stopped and looked upward at the fall. It seemed an immense cataract
coming down out of the sky. After gazing at the stupendous spectacle
till their wonder and admiration were in some measure satisfied, they
returned to the inn, where they found an excellent dinner all ready for
them. While they were thus employed in eating their dinner, Henry was
engaged in eating his, with at least as good an appetite, in company
with the other guides, in the servants' hall.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 8: See the map at the commencement of the first chapter.]

CHAPTER IX.

THE WENGERN ALP.

It was about twelve o'clock