uld take him up the Forth as far as Stirling。
For the first time in his life； perhaps； in passing along the Canongate； he did NOT TURN TO LOOK AT HOLYROOD； the palace of the former sovereigns of Scotland。 He did not notice the sentinels who stood before its gateways； dressed in the uniform of their Highland regiment； tartan kilt； plaid and sporran plete。 His whole thought was to reach Callander where Harry Ford was supposedly awaiting him。
The better to understand this narrative； it will be as well to hear a few words on the origin of coal。 During the geological epoch； when the terrestrial spheroid was still in course of formation； a thick atmosphere surrounded it； saturated with watery vapors； and copiously impregnated with carbonic acid。 The vapors gradually condensed in diluvial rains； which fell as if they had leapt from the necks of thousands of millions of seltzer water bottles。 This liquid； loaded with carbonic acid； rushed in torrents over a deep soft soil； subject to sudden or slow alterations of
form； and maintained in its semi…fluid state as much by the heat of the sun as by the fires of the interior mass。 The internal heat had not as yet been collected in the center of the globe。 The terrestrial crust； thin and inpletely hardened； allowed it to spread through its pores。 This caused a peculiar form of vegetation； such as is probably produced on the surface of the inferior plas； Venus or Mercury； which revolve nearer than our earth around