o; "it is so wet here, and besides, I am beginning
to be cold."

"We will all go," said Mr. George.

So they all went below. They descended one at a time, by a small spiral
staircase, near the stern, which led them into the cabin of the boat.
The cabin presented to view quite an extraordinary spectacle.

It was a small room, being not much more than fifteen feet wide. Along
the sides of it were seats made of carved oak, and very comfortably
cushioned. Above was a row of small windows, through which you could
look out by kneeling on the seats. At the end of the cabin were a
fireplace and a grate. There was a coal fire burning in the fireplace,
and several of the passengers were hovering around it to warm and dry
themselves. Others were looking out of the windows, vainly endeavoring
to obtain some glimpses of the scenery. A great many of them were
uttering exclamations of disappointment and vexation, at finding all the
pleasure of their excursion spoiled thus by the cold and the rain.

Some of the travellers, however, more philosophical than the rest,
seemed to take their ill luck quite patiently. There was one group that
opened their knapsacks at one of the side tables, and were taking
breakfast together there in a very merry manner.

Mr. George and the two boys went to the fire, and stood there to warm
themselves, listening, in the mean time, to the exclamations and remarks
of the various groups of passengers, which they found quite amusing. In
the mean time the steamer went on, bringing continually new points of
land and new islands into view. She stopped, too, now and then, at
landings along the margin of the lake; and on these occasions Rollo and
Waldron always went up on deck, to witness the operation of bringing the
steamer to, and to see who went on shore.

They had a list of these landings on the tickets which they had bought
of the captain of the boat, as soon as they came on board. When they
found that the next landing was Rowerdennan, all the party went up on
deck. The rain, they now found, had ceased. Indeed, the sky looked quite
bright, and several of the passengers were standing on the wet deck,
watching for glimpses of the mountains, which appeared here and there
through the openings in the clouds. They saw repeatedly the dark and
gloomy sides of Ben Lomond; but a canopy of dense and heavy clouds
rested upon and concealed the summit.

The boys obtained a glimpse of a stone house, nearly enveloped in