of masonry rested. The cliffs and precipices in many
places overhung the path, and seemed ready to fall. In fact, in one
place, an immense mass had cracked off, and was all ready to come down,
but was retained in its place by a heavy iron chain, which passed around
it, and was secured by clamps and staples to the more solid portion of
the rock behind it. Rollo and Minnie looked up to this cliff, as they
passed beneath it, with something like a feeling of terror.

"I should not like to have that rock come down upon our heads," said
Minnie.

"No," said Rollo, "nor I; but I should like to see it come down if we
were out of the way."

At length the road, after many winding zigzags and convolutions, came
out upon a gravelled area in front of a great iron gate at an angle
between two towers.

A man came from a courtyard within, and opened a small gate, which
formed a part of the great one. He seemed to be a servant. Mr. George
asked him in French if they could come in and see the castle. The man
smiled and shook his head, but at the same time opened the door wide,
and stood on one side, as if to make way for them to come in.

"He says no," whispered Rollo.

"No," replied Mr. George, "his _no_ means that he does not understand
us; but he wishes us to come in."

As Mr. George said these words, he passed through the gate, leading
Minnie by the hand, and followed by Rollo.

The man shut the gate after them, and then began to say something to
them, very fluently and earnestly, pointing at the same time to a door
which opened upon a gallery that extended along the wall of a tower near
by. As soon as he had finished what seemed to be some sort of
explanation, he left the party standing in the court, and returned to
his work.

"He says," remarked Mr. George, "that there is a man coming to show us
the castle."

"How do you know?" asked Rollo.

"I know by the signs that he made," replied Mr. George. "Besides, I
heard him say _schloss-vogt_."

"What is _schloss-vogt_?" asked Rollo.

"That was the ancient name for the officer who kept the keys of a
castle," replied Mr. George, "and in restoring this castle they thought
they would reestablish the old office. So they call the man who keeps
the keys the _schloss-vogt_."

In a few minutes the _schloss-vogt_ came. He was dressed in the ancient
costume. He wore a black velvet frock coat, and green velvet cap, both
made in a very antique and curious fashion, after the patter