ery thing was dripping wet. The gentlemen went loaded with
portmanteaus, carpet bags, valises, and other parcels of baggage, while
the women hurried after them, holding their umbrellas in one hand, and
endeavoring, as well as they could, to lift up their dresses with the
other. The boat was very small, and there was no shelter whatever from
the rain on the deck. Most of the company, therefore, hurried down into
the cabin.

"Are you going down into the cabin, too, uncle George?" said Rollo.

"Not I," said Mr. George. "Rain or no rain, I am going to see the shores
of Loch Lomond."

There was a heap of baggage near the centre of the boat, covered with a
tarpauling. Mr. George put his valise and the knapsacks under the
covering, with the other travellers' effects, and then began to look
about for seats. There was a range of wooden benches all along the sides
of the deck, but they were very wet, and looked extremely uncomfortable.
The water, however, did not stand upon them, for they were made of open
work, on purpose to let the water through.

"If we only had some camp stools," said Mr. George, "we could get
sheltered seats under the lee of the baggage; but as it is, we must
make the best of these."

[Illustration: VIEWING THE SCENERY OF LOCH LOMOND.]

So he folded his shawl long enough to make a cushion for three persons,
and laid it down on one of the benches. He sat down himself upon the
centre of it, and the boys took their places on each side. Mr. George
then spread his umbrella, and the boys, by sitting very close to him,
could both come under it. By the time they were thus established the
boat had left the pier, and was gliding smoothly away over the waters of
the lake, with green and beautifully wooded islands all around. In the
distance up the lake, wherever the opening of the clouds afforded a
view, it was seen that the horizon was bounded, and the waters of the
lake were shut in, with dark and gloomy-looking mountains, the summits
of which were entirely concealed from view.

After a short time the rain increased, and all the scenery, except such
islands and portions of the shore as came very near the track of the
steamer, was soon entirely hidden. The wind blew harder, too, and drove
the rain in under the umbrella, so that our travellers were beginning to
get quite wet.

"Suppose I go below," said Waldron, "and see what sort of a place the
other passengers have found down there."

"Yes, sir," said Roll