and then descended the
staircase to the lower floor. Here he found doors opening into the
dining room, which extended along the whole front of the hotel towards
the lake. The room was large, and was very beautifully furnished. There
was a long table extending up and down the middle of it. On the back
side were sofas, between the doors. On the front side was a range of
windows looking out upon the river. The windows were large, and as the
walls of the hotel were very thick, a recess was formed for each, and
opposite each recess was a round table. These tables were all set for
breakfasts or dinners.

Some of these tables were occupied. Rollo chose the pleasantest of the
ones that were at liberty, and took his seat by the side of it.
Presently a very neatly-dressed and pleasant-looking young man came to
him, to ask what he would have. This was the waiter; and Rollo made
arrangements with him for a breakfast. He ordered fried trout, veal
cutlets, fried potatoes, an omelette, coffee, and bread and honey. His
father and mother, when they came to eat the breakfast, said they were
perfectly satisfied with it in every respect.

CHAPTER VI.

A RIDE IN THE ENVIRONS.

One morning, a day or two after our party arrived at Geneva, Mr. Holiday
told Rollo, as they were sitting at their round breakfast table, at one
of the windows looking out upon the lake, that he had planned a ride for
that day; and he said that Rollo, if he wished, might go too.

"Well, sir," said Rollo; "only I think I should like better to go and
take a sail."

"I believe boys generally like to sail better than to ride," said Mr.
Holiday; "but the places that we are going to are where we cannot reach
them in a boat. However, I will make you an offer. We are going to ride
in a carriage to-day, and we should like very much to have you go with
us. Now, if you will go with us on this ride, I will go and take you out
on the lake to sail some other day."

"Well, sir," said Rollo, joyfully. "But how far will you take me?"

"As far as you wish to go," said Mr. Holiday.

"O, father!" said Rollo; "I should wish to go to the very farthest end
of the lake."

"Well," said his father, "I will take you there."

It must not at all be supposed from this conversation that Mr. Holiday
considered it necessary to make a bargain with his boy, to induce him to
go any where or to do any thing that he desired. He put the case in this
way to amuse Rollo, and to interes