open to the sky. Multitudes of birds were
flying about, and chirping mournfully around the naked and crumbling
walls.

CHAPTER XV.

EDINBURGH CASTLE.

The day after the visit which the party made to the palace, they set out
from their hotel to go to the castle. As they were walking along
together on the sidewalk of Prince's Street, on a sudden Waldron darted
off from Rollo's side, and ran into the street, in pursuit of a cab
which had just gone by. He soon overtook the cab and climbed up behind
it; and then, to Mr. George's utter amazement, he reached forward along
the side of the vehicle, so as to look into the window of it, and
knocked on the glass. In a moment the cab stopped, the door opened, and
the mystery of the case was explained to Mr. George and Rollo by seeing
Waldron's father looking out of it.

"It is his father!" said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George. "But that is not the proper way for a boy to
stop his father, riding by in a cab, in the streets of Edinburgh."

The cab drove up to the sidewalk, and then Mr. Kennedy got out to speak
to Mr. George. He said that he had received letters from America, making
it necessary for him to set sail immediately for home. He had intended,
he added, to have remained two or three weeks longer in Scotland; and in
that case he should have liked very much to have continued Waldron under
Mr. George's care.

"And now," he added, turning to Waldron, "which would you rather do--go
home to America with me, or stay here, and travel with Mr. George?"

Waldron looked quite perplexed at this proposal. He said that he liked
very much to travel with Mr. George and Rollo, and yet he wanted very
much indeed to go home.

In the course of the day various debates and consultations were held,
and it was finally decided that Waldron should go home. So the accounts
were settled with Mr. George, and Waldron was transferred to the hotel
where his father and mother were lodging. They were to set out the next
morning, in the express train for Liverpool. The preparations for the
journey and the voyage kept Waldron busy all that day, so that Mr.
George and Rollo went to the castle alone. But Waldron made Rollo
promise that in the evening he would come to the hotel and see him, and
tell him what he saw there.

In the evening, accordingly, Rollo went to the hotel where Mr. Kennedy
was staying. Mr. George went with him. They went first into Mr.
Kennedy's parlor. A door was open betw