in, said,--

"Uncle George! I've got back."

Mr. George did not seem at all surprised, but looking up a moment from
his writing, he smiled, and said,--

"Ah! I'm glad to see you safe back again. It is rather lonesome here
without you. Did you have a pleasant voyage?"

"Yes," said Rollo, "very pleasant. Only I did not go very far. I got
them to put me ashore about a mile below here."

"That was right," said Mr. George. "You did exactly as I should have
done myself. In fact you can see all you wish to see on such a raft in
half an hour."

"Yes," said Rollo, "I found that I could."

"And I am very glad that you came to tell me," said Mr. George, "as soon
as you came home."

So Rollo, quite relieved in mind, went down stairs again, and returning
to the quay, he resumed his fishing.

CHAPTER XII.

DINNER.

About half past three o'clock Rollo went up to his uncle's room.

"Uncle George," said he, "have not you got almost through with your
writing?"

"Why," said Mr. George, "are you tired of staying here?"

"Yes," said Rollo, "I am tired of being down in the bottom of such a
deep valley. I wish you would put away your writing and go on up the
river till we get out where we can see, and then you may write as much
as you please."

"Do you wish to go up the river to-night?" asked Mr. George.

"Yes," said Rollo, "very much."

Mr. George took out his watch.

"Go down and ask the waiter when the next steamer comes along."

Rollo went down, and presently returned with the report that the next
steamer came by at five o'clock.

"There is a place up the river about two hours' sail, called Bingen,"
said Mr. George, "where the mountains end. Above that the country is
open and level, and the river wide. We might go up there, I suppose; but
what should we do for dinner?"

"We might have dinner on board the steamer," said Rollo.

"Very well," said Mr. George; "that's what we will do. You may go and
tell the waiter to bring me the bill, and then be ready at half past
four. That will give me an hour more to write."

At half past four Rollo came to tell Mr. George that the steamer was
coming. The trunk had been previously carried down and put on board a
small boat, for this was one of the places where the steamers were not
accustomed to come up to a pier, but received and landed passengers by
means of small boats that went out to meet them in the middle of the
river. Such a boat was now ready at the foot