gs weeds," said Mr. George, "when they grow in the
gardens or fields, and are in the way; but when they grow in wild places
where they belong, they are plants and flowers."

"The gentleman is gathering them from high places all around him," said
Rollo, "and is giving them to the ladies, and they are putting them in
between the leaves of a book."

"They are going to carry them away as souvenirs of the Coliseum, I
suppose," said Mr. George.

"The girl has got a white stone in her hand," said Rollo.

"Perhaps it is a piece of marble that she has picked up," said Mr.
George.

"Now she has thrown down her white stone," said Rollo, "and has begun to
gather flowers."

"There is an immense number of plants that grow in and upon the
Coliseum," said Mr. George. "A botanist once made a complete collection
of them. How many species do you think he found?"

"Twenty," said Rollo.

"Guess again," said Mr. George.

"Fifteen," said Rollo.

"O, you must guess more, not less," said Mr. George.

"Thirty," said Rollo.

"More," said Mr. George.

"Forty," said Rollo.

"Add one cipher to it," said Mr. George, "and then you will be pretty
near right."

"What! four hundred?" exclaimed Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George. "A botanist made a catalogue of four hundred and
twenty plants, all growing on the ruins of this single building."

"O, uncle George!" said Rollo; "I don't think that can possibly be. I
mean to see."

So saying, Rollo laid the opera glass down upon the seat where he had
been sitting, and began to examine the masses of old ruined masonry near
him, with a view of seeing how many different kinds of plants he could
find.

"Must I count every thing, uncle George?" said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George, "every thing that is a plant. Every different
kind of sprig, or little weed, that you can find--mosses, lichens, and
all."

Rollo began to count. He very soon got up to twenty, and so he came to
the conclusion that the guide book--which was the authority on which Mr.
George had stated the number of plants found upon the ruins--was right.

While Rollo was thus engaged, Mr. George had remained quietly in his
seat, and had occupied himself with studying the guide book.

"Uncle George," said Rollo, when he came back, "I give it up. I have no
doubt that there are hundreds of plants in all, growing on these ruins."

"Yes," said Mr. George; "whatever is stated in this book is very apt to
prove true."

"What else di