to his companions.

In the evening of the boys' "own" day, George Howe and Leander Towle
arrived unexpectedly at the hotel.

"We have come," said George, "to bid you good-by."

"Why good-by?" asked Master Lewis.

"We have been abroad a fortnight," said George; "have seen the
capitals of Scotland, England, and France; have rode through the heart
of England and the most interesting part of Normandy, and, as our
money is more than half gone, we must return. The steamer leaves
to-morrow."

"How much will the whole trip cost you?" asked Wyllys.

"It will cost us each $56.00 for the ocean passage both ways, and our
travelling expenses and board for the two weeks have averaged to each
$2.00 per day, or $28.00. The trip will cost me, well--when I have
made some purchases--say $95.00, though I have not yet spent as much
as this."

"Have you obtained your return tickets?" asked Master Lewis.

"No, not yet."

"Let me advise you not to take steerage passage in returning. The
steerage will be crowded, and you will in that case find it no holiday
experience. Take a second-cabin ticket for $40.00."

"My expenses then will not greatly exceed $100."

"Another steamer sails in a few days," said Master Lewis; "accept my
invitation to remain with us over to-morrow, and visit Windsor Castle
with us. It shall add nothing to your expenses."

The boys were delighted to accept Master Lewis's generous proposal. It
was arranged that the next morning the whole party should go to
Windsor.

"Before we go to Windsor Castle," said Frank Gray to Master Lewis,
"will you not tell us something about the place?"

"Windsor Castle," said Master Lewis, "is the finest of English
palaces, and is one of the residences of the royal family. In its
park, Prince Albert lies buried in the mausoleum erected by the queen.
Perhaps I cannot better instruct you for the visit than by telling you
the story of

PRINCE ALBERT AND HIS QUEEN.

"For seventeen years Queen Victoria has mourned for one of the best
husbands and one of the wisest advisers that ever a female sovereign
had.

"The marriage of Victoria and Albert was a love-match; not a very
common thing in unions of princes and princesses. They were first
cousins, Albert's father and Victoria's mother having been brother and
sister, the children of the Duke of Coburg; but, when they became
engaged, their situations were very different. Victoria was the young
queen of one of the mightiest and p