rrived when Mr. George
thought it was necessary for them to go back to France.

"It is getting late in the season," said Mr. George, "and every body is
leaving Rome. I don't think it is safe for us to remain much longer here
ourselves, on account of the fever."

Rome is extremely unhealthy in the summer months; and in the environs
there is a very wide tract of country which is almost entirely
uninhabitable all the year round, on account of the prevalence of fever.

"Very well," said Rollo, "we will go whenever you please."

"We must take our places in the steamer and in the diligences several
days beforehand," said Mr. George. "We will go to the steamboat office
to-day."

There are several lines of steamers that go from Rome to Marseilles,
which is the port of landing for travellers going to France and England.
Some of these steamers go "direct" across the sea, while others coast
along the shore, sailing at night, and stopping during the day at the
large towns on the route. The first night they go to Leghorn, the second
to Genoa, and the third to Marseilles. At first Mr. George thought that
he would take one of these coasting steamers; but he finally concluded
to go "direct."

"It would be very pleasant," said he to Rollo, "for us to stop at those
towns, and ramble about during the day, and then in the evening set sail
again, provided we could be at liberty to land at our pleasure, to
ramble about unmolested wherever we wished to go, as we can do in
America."

"And can't we do so?" asked Rollo.

"No," said Mr. George. "In the first place we must have our passports
stamped here for all the places that we wish to visit, and that will
cause us here a great deal of trouble, and not a little expense. Then to
land we must have our passports all examined again, and stamped, and
there will be more money to pay; and likely as not we should be detained
half the morning in getting through all these formalities, and so our
time would be passed in fruitless vexation instead of pleasure. Then,
when at last we were free, and began our rambles, we should be beset by
beggars every where, and have no peace."

"What a foolish plan it is to plague travellers so much with all these
ceremonies about passports!" said Rollo.

"I am not certain that it is foolish for such governments as these,"
replied Mr. George. "You see, they are governments of force, maintained
over the people against their will, by means of military power. The