trees,
at a little distance from the shore, as they approached the land. This
they supposed was the inn, as there was no other house in sight.

The steamer drew up to the pier. The pier was very small. It was built
of timbers, and extended a little way out over the water, from a
solitary place on the shore. Every passenger that left the boat had to
pay twopence for the privilege of landing upon it. The porter of the inn
stood there, with a leather bag hung over his neck, to collect this
toll. On this occasion, however, he got only sixpence, as Mr. George and
the two boys were the only passengers that landed.

The place was very wild and solitary. There was no house, or building of
any kind, in sight. There was a narrow road, however, that led along the
shore of the lake, from the pier towards the point of land which the
steamer had passed in coming to the pier, and the porter told Mr. George
that that was the road that led to the inn.

"If you will walk on," said the porter, "I will bring your luggage."

There were some boards and small timbers on the deck of the vessel,
which were to be landed here, and the porter remained in order to
receive them, while Mr. George and the boys went on. They soon came to
the inn. They entered it from behind, through a very pleasant yard,
surrounded with trees and gardens, and out-buildings of various kinds.
Mr. George went in, followed by the boys, and was shown into the coffee
room. From the windows of this room there was a very pretty view of the
lake, through an opening among the trees of the garden.

"And now what are we going to do?" said Waldron, after they had all
looked at the view as much as they wished.

"I am going to have a fire," said Mr. George, "and then sit down here
and make myself comfortable until it clears away. You and Rollo can join
me, or you can form any other plan that you like better."

"We'll go a-fishing," said Waldron.

"Or else go up on Ben Lomond," said Rollo. "How high is Ben Lomond,
uncle George?"

"It is between three and four thousand feet," said Mr. George. "We will
all go up to-morrow if it clears away."

But Waldron did not wish to go up the mountain. He preferred to go
a-fishing on the lake. He did not express his preference very strongly
at this time, but in the course of the afternoon he persuaded Rollo that
it would be a great deal better for them to go out a-fishing on the
lake, and perhaps go across the lake to the opposite shore,