Part 11 (1/2)

”They are going to carry them away as souvenirs of the Coliseum, I suppose,” said Mr. George.

”The girl has got a white stone in her hand,” said Rollo.

”Perhaps it is a piece of marble that she has picked up,” said Mr.

George.

”Now she has thrown down her white stone,” said Rollo, ”and has begun to gather flowers.”

”There is an immense number of plants that grow in and upon the Coliseum,” said Mr. George. ”A botanist once made a complete collection of them. How many species do you think he found?”

”Twenty,” said Rollo.

”Guess again,” said Mr. George.

”Fifteen,” said Rollo.

”O, you must guess more, not less,” said Mr. George.

”Thirty,” said Rollo.

”More,” said Mr. George.

”Forty,” said Rollo.

”Add one cipher to it,” said Mr. George, ”and then you will be pretty near right.”

”What! four hundred?” exclaimed Rollo.

”Yes,” said Mr. George. ”A botanist made a catalogue of four hundred and twenty plants, all growing on the ruins of this single building.”

”O, uncle George!” said Rollo; ”I don't think that can possibly be. I mean to see.”

So saying, Rollo laid the opera gla.s.s down upon the seat where he had been sitting, and began to examine the ma.s.ses of old ruined masonry near him, with a view of seeing how many different kinds of plants he could find.

”Must I count every thing, uncle George?” said Rollo.

”Yes,” said Mr. George, ”every thing that is a plant. Every different kind of sprig, or little weed, that you can find--mosses, lichens, and all.”

Rollo began to count. He very soon got up to twenty, and so he came to the conclusion that the guide book--which was the authority on which Mr.

George had stated the number of plants found upon the ruins--was right.

While Rollo was thus engaged, Mr. George had remained quietly in his seat, and had occupied himself with studying the guide book.

”Uncle George,” said Rollo, when he came back, ”I give it up. I have no doubt that there are hundreds of plants in all, growing on these ruins.”

”Yes,” said Mr. George; ”whatever is stated in this book is very apt to prove true.”

”What else did you read about, uncle George,” said Rollo, ”while I was counting the plants?”

”I read,” said Mr. George, ”that the Coliseum was begun about A. D. 72, by one of the Roman emperors.”