e of water that composed it was seen here to come
boiling up out of the ground in a sort of shallow basin, which was
formed on the hill side at the head of the glen.

The place was very secluded, but it was very beautiful. It was shaded
with trees, which overhung the paths, and the basin, and the various
channels of water which flowed from it and around it. The water boiled
up very copiously from between the stones that had been set up to form
the margin of the basin, and also among the sands which formed the
bottom of it. The walk was conducted all around this singular fountain;
and it passed across the outlet, where the stream flowed away from it,
over a neat little stone dike, which formed the edge of the basin on the
lower side.

Rollo led the way to the middle of this dike, and his father and mother
followed. They stood there for some time, looking down into the basin
to see the water boil up from between the stones and among the sands.

"This is a very curious place indeed," said Mrs. Holiday.

"It certainly is," said Mr. Holiday.

"Well, father," said Rollo, after gazing for some time into the bubbling
and boiling fountain, "where does all this water come from? What makes
it come up out of the ground?"

"Why, the truth is," said Mr. Holiday, "though it seems to come _up_, it
really comes _down_.

"Do you see all this mountain up here?" he added. So saying he pointed
to the land which seemed to rise to a great height above the head of the
glen.

"Yes, sir," said Rollo.

"Well, this mountain," continued Mr. Holiday, "is full of water. All
mountains are full of water, for it rains on the summits and sides of
them almost continually, and this keeps them always full. Generally this
water drains off down into the valleys, through the beds of sand and
gravel that lie in the heart of the mountain, and so is not particularly
observed. Sometimes it breaks out in small springs, at various places on
the mountain sides; and sometimes the shape of the rocks and openings in
the mountain are such as to collect a great quantity of it in one
place, where it breaks out into the open ground altogether, as it does
here. There are a great many such fountains in Switzerland."

"Are there any larger than this?" asked Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. Holiday, "ten times as large. Sometimes the water forms
quite a little river almost immediately after it comes out of the
ground."

"I should like to see them," said Rollo.

"Very li