d
cottages of the village where they landed, they set out again on their
return. They stopped to fish at a short distance from the shore on the
eastern side, and were quite successful. The boys caught several trout,
which they resolved to have fried for their breakfast the next morning.
While they were fishing Mr. George sat in the stern of the boat,
studying his guide books, and learning all he could about the
remarkable events in the life of Rob Roy, the great Highland chieftain,
who formerly lived on the shores of Loch Lomond, and performed many
daring exploits there, which have given him a great name in Scottish
history.

It was a little after nine o'clock when they returned to the inn.

The next morning the plan of ascending the mountain was carried into
effect. Mr. George hired two horses, intending to take turns with the
boys in riding them. By having two horses for three riders, each one
could, of course, ride two thirds of the way. This is better than for
each one to ride all the way, as that is very tiresome. Both in
ascending and descending mountains it relieves and rests the traveller
to walk a part of the way.

The top of the mountain was distinctly in sight from the inn, and almost
the whole course of the path which led up to it, for there were no woods
to intercept the view. The distance was five or six miles. The path was
a constant and gradual ascent nearly all the way, and lay through a
region entirely open in every direction. There was a perfect sea of
hills on every side, all covered with moss, ferns, and heather, with
scarcely a tree of any kind to be seen, except those that fringed the
shores of the lake down in the valley. The view from the summit was very
extended, but the wind blew there so bleak and cold that the whole party
were very glad to leave it and come down, after a very brief survey of
the prospect.

In coming down the mountain the party stopped at a spring, to rest
themselves and to drink; and here, as they were sitting together on the
flat stones that lay about the spring, Mr. George explained to the two
boys what I have already explained in this chapter to the reader, in
respect to the duty of boys, when travelling under the charge of a grown
person, to fall in with their leader's plans, instead of forming
independent plans of their own.

"When you are at home," said he, "and playing among yourselves, and with
other persons of your own age, then you can form your own plans, an