h beautiful parks a
considerable portion of the way, with glimpses of the water here and
there between the trees. The view of the scenery, however, was very much
impeded by the falling rain.

CHAPTER IV.

THE EXPEDITION PLANNED.

The boys were very successful in their selection of a hotel, for the
Queen's Hotel, in Glasgow, is one of the most comfortable and best
managed inns in the kingdom.

The party _rode_ to the inn, in a cab which they took at the station in
Glasgow, when the train arrived there, instead of walking, as they had
done in going from the boat to the station at Greenock. The boys asked
Mr. George's advice on this point, and he said that, though he was
unwilling to take any responsibility, he had no objection whatever to
giving his advice, whenever they wished for it. So he told them that he
thought it was always best to go to a hotel in a carriage of some sort.

"Because," said he, "in England and Scotland,--that is, in all the great
towns,--if we come on foot, they think that we are poor, and of no
consequence, and so give us the worst rooms, and pay us very little
attention."

When the cab arrived at the hotel Waldron said,--

"There, Mr. George, we have brought you safe to the hotel. Now we have
nothing more to do. We give up the command to you now."

"Very well," said Mr. George.

Two or three nicely dressed porters and waiters came out from the door
of the hotel, to receive the travellers and wait upon them in. The
porters took the baggage, even to the coats and umbrellas, and the head
waiter led the way into the house. Waldron paid the cabman as he stepped
out of the cab. He knew what the fare was, and he had it all ready. Mr.
George said to the waiter that he wanted two bedrooms, one with two beds
in it. The waiter bowed, with an air of great deference and respect, and
said that the chambermaid would show the rooms. The chambermaid, who was
a very nice-looking and tidily-dressed young woman, stood at the foot of
the stairs, ready to conduct the newly-arrived party up to the chambers.
She accordingly led the way, and Mr. George and the boys followed--two
neat-looking porters coming behind with the various articles of baggage.

The rooms were very pleasant apartments, situated on the front side of
the house, and looking out upon a beautiful square. The square was
enclosed in a high iron railing. It was adorned with trees and
shrubbery, and intersected here and there with smooth