"Yes, we are about to enter the Coquet now." "Where does the Coquet rise?" "In the Cheviot hills; and it flows for forty miles through well-wooded scenery, which is called Coquetdale, and then falls into the German Ocean, below Alnwick Bay." "You must have been studying a gazetteer lately." "I have been; and can tell you something more of the Coquet which is interesting." "Pray, do so." "I know a little about it. It is famous for its salmon and trout, for which it is greatly esteemed by anglers," said one. "Among the pebbles which it washes up, cornelians, agates, and mountain crystals, are sometimes found," said another. "I wonder if we shall be fortunate enough to discover any of these treasures!" "I do not care to look for them; for when there are old castles to be visited, I think a few little pebbles need not expect to be noticed." Presently they came to the bottom of the hill on which the famous fortress of Warkworth formerly stood, and there, at the landing-place, they fastened the boat. The hill was steep, but the young people enjoyed the fun of climbing it all the more for that; when they reached the top, they were well repaid for their trouble. "What a magnificent view!" exclaimed the student. "Do you say so," cried Grace, "who have seen the beautiful spots in so many countries? I am myself very proud of our Northumberland, but that you should show any delight, is almost a surprise to me." "Nay, why should it be? 'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;' but the joy is still greater when the beautiful objects are our own." "What splendid old ruins they are!" exclaimed Ellen. "Yes," said George; "although the keep remains, all the rest being in ruins, it has a most imposing appearance." "How grand it must have been before its glory passed away!" "Yes, it must indeed! Even now it is not so gloomy as many ruins are." "Perhaps that is because the stones keep their natural colour." "To whom does it belong?" "To the Percy family. We shall find their arms on several parts of the 'keep.'" "That must have been restored, since it alone remains." "Yes, it has been; and, indeed, it was well worthy of preservation." "We must visit the tower, the chapel, and the baronial hall, each of which will reward inspection." They looked at each in turn, and their admiration expressed itself in appreciative words. It would not have been satisfactory had they not visited also some of the subterranean cells. "You must come and see the donjon keep, girls," said George. But the girls could not repress a shudder, as they did so, for their sympathetic spirits felt for the poor prisoners who ages ago had been incarcerated in the terrible dungeon. "You see it has no means of admission," explained the student, "but by a very narrow aperture; so that the prisoners had to be lowered into it by ropes." "And how could they ever get back again when their term of imprisonment was over?" "I am afraid few, if any, ever did come back again."