ter, however, there was a space of green grass, with large trees
overshadowing it, and several wooden settees, painted green, under the
trees.

"Ah!" said Rollo, "here is just the place for us.

"Father," he added, "do you think it would be a good plan to land here?"

"Yes," said his father; "we could not have had a better place. I thought
you would find a pleasant landing for us if I gave you the command."

So Rollo brought the boat up to the shore, and they all got out. Mr. and
Mrs. Holiday walked up and took their seats on one of the settees, while
Rollo and Lucia began to run about and play along the parapet wall which
separated the promenade from the water.

Mr. and Mrs. Holiday watched the mountains. The sun had now just gone
down, though his beams still tipped the summits of the hills, and were
reflected from the windows of the distant houses. The snow on the
mountains, too, began to assume a very beautiful rosy hue, which
increased in brilliancy the farther the sun went down, and the more the
lower lands became darkened.

"How beautiful it is!" said Mrs. Holiday.

"It is very beautiful indeed," said her husband.

"Rollo," said Mrs. Holiday, "look at Mont Blanc. See how bright and rosy
he looks."

"Yes, mother," said Rollo; "and look out on the lake, and see the heads
of those two boys swimming in the water."

"Are those the heads of boys?" asked Mrs. Holiday.

"Yes, mother," said Rollo; "see how far they are swimming out."

When Mrs. Holiday looked back at the mountain, she found, to her great
disappointment, that the rosy color which had appeared so beautiful a
moment before had now disappeared; and the whole snowy side of the
range, up to the summits of the loftiest peaks, was of a cold, dead
white, as if the rays of the sun had been entirely withdrawn.

"Ah! look!" she said to Mr. Holiday, in a tone of disappointment; "Mont
Blanc has gone out while we have been looking another way."

Mr. Holiday gazed intently at the mountain, and very soon he saw the
rosy tint beginning to appear again on one of the summits, more
brilliant than ever.

"No," said he, "the sun has not gone. I thought it could not have gone
down so soon. There must have been a cloud in the way."

While Mr. Holiday had been speaking, the rekindling of the mountain had
gone on apace, and now the whole side of it was all in a glow.

Just at this instant Rollo heard the sound of a gun. Lucia started and
looked alarmed.

"What