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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29297.txt b/29297.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8b29b5e --- /dev/null +++ b/29297.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9211 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Brigands, by James de Mille + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Among the Brigands + +Author: James de Mille + +Release Date: July 3, 2009 [EBook #29297] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE BRIGANDS *** + + + + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan + + + + + + + + +Among the Brigands + +By Prof. James de Mille + + + + +H. M. Caldwell Company +Publishers +New York and Boston + + +Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by Lee +and Shepard in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. + + + +Among the Brigands + + + +CONTENTS + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Stranger in a strange Land.--A Citadel of Trunks.--Besieged.--Retreat +in good Order.--A most tremendous Uproar.--Kicks! Thumps!--Smash +of Chairs!--Crash of Tables!--A general Row!--The Cry for Help!--The +Voice of David!--The Revelation of the Darkness!--The fiery Eyes!--The +Unseen!--The Revelation of the Mystery.--A general Flight. + +CHAPTER II. + +How in the World did it get there?--A joyous Ride.--Hark! Hark! +The Dogs-do bark! Beggars come to Town; some in Rags, some in Tags, +and some in a tattered Gown!--A pleasant Meditation on a classic +Past very rudely, unexpectedly, tad even savagely interrupted, and +likely to terminate in a Tragedy!--Perilous Position of David and +Clive. + +CHAPTER III. + +Out into the Country.--The Drive.--The glorious Land.--Sorrento +and eternal Summer.--The Cave of Polyphemus.--The Cathedral--The +mysterious Image.--What is it?--David Relic-hunting.--A +Catastrophe.--Chased by a Virago.--The Town roused.--Besieged.--A +desperate Onset--Flight--Last of the Virago. + +CHAPTER IV. + +Salerno and the sulky Driver.--Paestum and its Temples.--A great +Sensation.--An unpleasant Predicament--Is the Driver a Traitor?--Is +he in League--with Bandits?--Arguments about the Situation, and +what each thought about it. + +CHAPTER V. + +They discuss the Situation.--They prepare to foot it--A toilsome +Walk, and a happy Discovery.--The Language of Signs once more.--The +Mountain Cavalcade.--Bob's Ambition.--Its results.--Bob +vanishes.--Consternation of the Donkey Boy.--Consternation of the +Cavalcade.--"E Perduto!". + +CHAPTER VI. + +Flight of Both--Difference between a tame Donkey and a wild +Ass.--Carried off to the Mountains.--The headlong Course.--The +Mountain Pass.--The Journey's End.--Ill-omened Place.--Confounded +by a new Terror.--The Brigands. + +CHAPTER VII. + +The Lurking-place of the Brigands.--The captive Boy.--The hideous +Household.--The horrible old Hag.--The slattern Woman.--The dirty +Children.--The old Crone and the evil Eye.--Despondency of Bob. +--Is Escape possible?--Night.--Imprisoned.--The Bed of Straw. +--Outlook into the Night from the Prison Windows. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +The worn-out Captive.--Light Slumbers.--Fearful Wakening.--The +stealthy Step.--The overmastering Horror.--The lone Boy confronted +by his Enemy.--The hungry Eyes.--Is it real, or a Nightmare?--The +supreme Moment. + +CHAPTER IX. + +The Cavalcade in Pursuit--Hopes and Fears.--Theories about the lost +Boy.--A new Turn to Affairs.--Explanations.--On to +Salerno.--Inquiries.--Baffled.--Fresh Consternation and +Despondency.--The last Hope. + +CHAPTER X. + +The captive Boy and his grisly Visitant--The Hand on his +Head.-Denouement.--The Brigand Family.--The old Crone.--The Robber +Wife.--The Brigand Children.--A Revolution of Feeling.--The main +Road.--The Carriage.--In Search of Bob. + +CHAPTER XI. + +The Return.--The tender Adieus.--Back to Salerno.--On to +Castellamare.--A pleasant Scene.--An unpleasant Discovery.--David +among the Missing.--Woes of Uncle Moses.--Deliberations over the +Situation.--Various Theories.--The Vengeance of the Enemy.--Back +to Sorrento in Search of the lost One. + +CHAPTER XII. + +The Waking of David.--A glorious Scene.--A Temptation.--David +embarks upon the wide, wide Sea.--Youth at the Prow and Pleasure +at the Helm.--A daring Navigator.--A baffled and confounded +Navigator.--Lost! Lost! Lost!--Despair of David.--At the Mercy +of Wind and Sea.--The Isle of the Brigands.--The Brigand Chief. + +CHAPTER XIII. + +David captured.--The big, bluff, burly, brusque, bearded, +broad-shouldered, beetle-browed Bully of a Brigand.--A terrific +Inquisition.--David's Plea for Mercy.--The hard-hearted Captor and +the trembling Captive.--A direful Threat--David carried off helpless +and despairing.--The Robber's Hold. + +CHAPTER XIV. + +On the Way to Sorrento again.--A mournful Ride.--A despairing +Search.--A fearful Discovery.--The old Virago again.--In a +Trap.--Sorrento aroused.--Besieged.--All lost--A raging Crowd.--The +howling Hag.--Harried Consultation.--The last forlorn Hope.--Disguise, +Flight, and Concealment. + +CHAPTER XV. + +In the Robber's Hold.--The Brigand's Bride.--Sudden, amazing, +overwhelming, bewildering, tremendous, astounding, overpowering, +and crashing Discovery.--The Situation.--Everybody confounded.--The +Crowd at Sorrento.--The Landlord's Prayers.--The Virago calls for +Vengeance. + +CHAPTER XVI. + +More Troubles for poor David.--Onset of four Women.--Seized by +an old Crone and three Peasant Girls.--Fresh Horror of David.--A +new Uproar in the Yard of the Inn.--Uncle Moses bent double. + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Vesuvius.--Ponies and Sticks.--Sand and Lava.--The rocky Steps.--The +rolling, wrathful, Smoke-clouds.--The Volcano warns them off.--The +lost Boy.--A fearful Search.--A desperate Effort.--The sulphurous +Vapors.--Over die sliding Sands. + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Pompeii, the City of the Dead.--The Monuments of the Past.--Temples, +Towers, and Palaces.--Tombs and Monuments.--Theatres and +Amphitheatres.--Streets and Squares. + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Lofty classical Enthusiasm of David, and painful Lack of Feeling +on the Part of Frank.--David, red-hot with the Flow of the Past, +is suddenly confronted with the Present.--The Present dashes cold +Water upon his glowing Enthusiasm.--The Gates.--Minos, Aeacus, and +Rhadamanthus.--The Culprits. + +CHAPTER XX. + +The Glories of Naples.--The Museum.--The Curiosities.--How they +unroll the charred Manuscripts exhumed from Herculaneum and +Pompeii.--On to Rome.--Capua.--The Tomb of Cicero.--Terracina. +--The Pontine Marshes.--The Appii Forum. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +The Pontine Marshes.--A Change comes over the Party.--The foul +Exhalations.--The Sleep of Death.--Dreadful Accident.--Despair +of Frank.--A Breakdown.--Ingenuity of the Driver.--Resumption of +the Journey. + +CHAPTER XXII. + +The March ended.--A lonely Inn.--Evil Faces.--Beetling +Brows.--Sinister Glances.--Suspicions of the Party.--They put their +Heads together.--Conferences of the Party.--A threatening +Prospect--Barricades.--In Time of Peace prepare for War.--The +Garrison arm themselves. + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +The sleepless Watch.--The mysterious Steps.--The low Whispers.--They +come! They come!--The Garrison roused.--To Arms! To Arms!--The +beleaguered Party.--At Bay.--The decisive Moment--The Scaling +Ladders.--Onset of the Brigands.--End of Troubles. + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +A beautiful Country.--Magnificent Scenery.--The Approach to +Albano.--Enthusiasm of the Boys.--Archaeology versus Appetite.--The +Separation of the Boys.--The Story of the Alban Lake and the ancient +subterranean. + +CHAPTER XXV. + +The lonely Path.--The sequestered Vale.--The old House.--A feudal +Castle.--A baronial Windmill.--A mysterious Sound.--A terrible +Discovery.--At Bay.--The wild Beast's Lair!--What is it?--A great +Bore. + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Despair of Uncle Moses.--Frank and Bob endeavor to offer +Consolation.--The Search.--The Discovery at the Convent--The +Guide.--The old House.--The Captives.--The Alarm given.--Flight +of Uncle Moses and his Party.--Albans! to the Rescue!--The delivering +Host! + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +Arma Virumque cano!--The Chase of the wild Boar!--The Prisoners +at the Window.--The Alban Army.--Wild Uproar.--Three hundred and +sixty-five Pocket Handkerchiefs.--Flame.--Smoking out the Monster.--A +Salamander. + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +The Salamander inaccessible to Fire.--The last Appeal--Frank takes +Action.--He fires.--Casualty to Frank and Bob.--Onset of the +Monster.--Flight.--Tremendous Sensation.--The Guide's +Story.--Another Legend of Albano.--On to Rome. + + + +THE YOUNG DODGE CLUB. + + + +AMONG THE BRIGANDS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Stranger in a strange Land.--A Citadel of Trunks.--Besieged.--Retreat +in good Order.--A most tremendous Uproar.--Kicks! Thumps!--Smash of +Chain!--Crash of Tables!--A general Row!--The Cry for Help!--The +Voice of David!--The Revelation of the Darkness!--The fiery Eyes!--The +Unseen!--The Revelation of the Mystery.--A general Fight._ + + +Mr. Moses V. Sprole had passed the greater part of his life in his +native village, and being anxious to see the world, resolved upon +a tour in Europe. As he did not care to go alone, he offered to +take with him his four nephews, who were great favorites with their +bachelor uncle, and his chief associates. This offer met with an +eager response from the boys, and a willing assent from their +parents, who fully believed that a tour of this description would +be of immense benefit to them. This brief explanation will serve +to account for the appearance of Uncle Moses in Naples, where he +landed on a mellow day in February, _en route_ for Switzerland, +bowed down with the responsibility of several heavy trunks, and +the still heavier responsibility of four fine lumps of boys, of +whose troubles, trials, tribulations, and manifold adventures, he +seemed, on the present occasion, to have a mournful presentiment. + +These troubles began at once; for scarcely had they landed when +they found themselves surrounded by the lazzaroni, and the air was +filled with a babel of exclamations. + +"_Signori!_" "_Signo!_" "_Moosoo!_" "_Meestaire!_" "_Sare!_" "_Carra +ze baggage!_" "_Tek ze loggage!_" "_Show ze hotel!_" "_Hotel della +Europa!_" "_Hotel dell' Inghelterra!_" "_Hotel dell' America!_" +"_Eccelenza, you wanta good, naisy, rosbif, you comma longsida +me!_" "_Come long!_" "_Hurrah!_" "_Bravo!_" "_O, yais._" "_Ver +nais._" "_O, yais. You know me. American Meestaire!_" + +All this, and ever so much more, together with scraps of French, +German, Bohemian, Hungarian, Russian, and several other languages +which the lazzaroni had picked up for the purpose of making themselves +agreeable to foreigners. They surrounded Uncle Moses and his four +boys in a dense crowd--grinning, chattering, gesticulating, dancing, +pushing, jumping, and grimacing, as only Neapolitan lazzaroni can; +and they tried to get hold of the luggage that lay upon the wharf. + +Bagged, hatless, shirtless, blessed with but one pair of trousers +per man; bearded, dirty, noisy; yet fat and good-natured withal; +the lazzaroni produced a startling effect upon the newly arrived +travellers. + +Uncle Moses soon grew utterly bewildered by the noise and disorder. +One idea, however, was prominent in his mind, and that was his +luggage. He had heard of Italian brigands. At the sight of this +crowd, all that he had beard on that subject came back before him. +"Rinaldo Rinaldini," a charming brigand book, which had been the +delight of his childhood, now stood out clear in his recollection. +The lazzaroni seemed to be a crowd of bandits, filled with but one +purpose, and that was to seize the luggage. The efforts of the +lazzaroni to get the trunks roused him to action. Springing forward, +he struck their hands away with a formidable cotton umbrella, and +drew the trunks together in a pile. Three lay in a row, and one +was on the top of these. The pile was a small pyramid. + +"Here, boys," he cried; "you keep by me, Don't let these varmints +get the trunks. Sit down on 'em, and keep 'em off." + +Saying this, Uncle Moses put the two Clark boys on a trunk on one +side, and the two Wilmot boys on a trunk on the other; and mounting +himself upon the middle trunk, he sat down and glared defiantly at +the enemy. + +This action was greeted by the lazzaroni with a burst of laughter +and a shout of,-- + +"Br-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ra-vo!" + +To which Uncle Moses and the boys made no reply. In fact, it would +have been a little difficult for them to do so, as not one of them +understood a word of any language spoken among men except their +own. So they said nothing; but constituting themselves into a +beleaguered garrison, they intrenched themselves within their +citadel, and bade defiance to the foe. + +The foe, on the other hand, pressed round them, bombarding the +garrison with broken English, broken French, and broken German, +and sometimes made an assault upon the trunks. + +Time passed on, and the garrison sat there, holding their own. At +length they all became aware of the fact that they were excessively +hungry. It was very evident that this kind of thing could not last +much longer. + +Meanwhile Uncle Moses had recovered his presence of mind. He was +naturally cool and self-possessed, and after mounting the trunks, +and gathering the boys about him, he quickly rallied from his +confusion, and looked eagerly around to find some way by which he +might be extricated from his difficulty. + +At last a way appeared. + +Around him, in his immediate neighborhood, stood the lazzaroni, as +urgent, as patient, and as aggressive as ever, with their offers +of assistance. Beyond these were people passing up and down the +wharf, all of whom were foreigners, and therefore inaccessible. +Beyond these again was a wide space, and in the distance a busy +street, with carriages driving to and fro. + +Uncle Moses looked for a long time, hoping to see something like +a cab. In vain. They all seemed to him to be "one-hoss shays," and +what was worse, all seemed to be filled. + +"Boys," said he at last, "I'm goin' to make a move. You jest sit +here, and hold on to the trunks. I'll go an hunt up one of them +one-hoss shays. There ain't nothin' else that I can do. Hold on +now, hard and fast, till I come back." + +With these words off went Uncle Moses, and the boys remained behind, +waiting. + +A very fine-looking set of boys they were too. + +There was Frank Wilmot, about fifteen years of age, tall, stout, +with fine, frank face, and crisp, curly hair. + +There was Clive Wilmot, about fourteen, tall and slight, with large +eyes and dark hair. + +There was David Clark, about Frank's age, rather pale, with serious +face, and quiet, thoughtful manner. + +And there was Robert, or, as he was always called, Bob Clark--an +odd-looking boy, with a bullet head, pug nose, comical face, brown +eyes, and short shingled hair. + +Uncle Moses was not gone long. By some wonderful means or other he +had succeeded in procuring a vehicle of that kind which is universal +in this city, and he now reappeared to the delighted boys, coming +at a tearing pace towards them, seated in a Neapolitan caleche. + +The Neapolitan caleche is a wonderful machine, quite unequalled +among wheeled vehicles. The wheels are far back, the shafts are +long, and horse draws it. But in the caleche it is a very common +thing for any quantity of people to pile themselves. There is a +seat for two, which is generally occupied by the most, worthy, +perhaps; but all around them cluster others,--behind them, before +them, and on each side of them,--clinging to the shafts, standing +on the axle, hanging on the springs. Indeed, I have heard of babies +being slung underneath, in baskets; but I don't believe that. + +At any rate, Uncle Moses and his party all tumbled in triumphantly. +Two trunks were put in front, one behind, and one suspended +underneath. David and Clive sat behind, Frank and Uncle Moses on +the seat, while Bob sat on the trunk in front, with the driver. +The lazzaroni looked on with mournful faces, but still proffered +their services. In patient perseverance few people can equal them. + +The driver saw at once the purpose of the Americans, though they +could not tell him what they wanted. So he drove them to a hotel +in the Strada Toledo, where he left them, after having been paid +by Uncle Moses the largest fare he had ever received in his life; +for Uncle Moses gave him about five dollars, and felt grateful to +him besides. + +Their apartments were very nice rooms in the sixth story. The hotel +was a quadrangular edifice, with a spacious court-yard. Around this +court-yard ran galleries, opening into each story, and communicating +with one another by stairways, which were used by all the occupants +of the house. + +From the gallery in the sixth story a door opened into their parlor. +On the left side of this was a snug bedroom, of which Uncle Moses +took possession; on the right side was another, which was appropriated +by David and Clive; while the third, which was on the other side, +and looked out into the street, was taken by Frank and Bob. + +Thus the four boys paired off, and made themselves very comfortable.. + +That night they all went to bed early. Uncle Moses retired last. +All slept soundly, for they were very much fatigued. + +But just before daybreak, and in the dim morning twilight, Frank +and Bob were suddenly roused by a most tremendous uproar in the +parlor--kicks, thumps, tables upsetting, chairs breaking, and a +general row going on; in the midst of which din arose the voice of +David, calling frantically upon themselves and Uncle Moses. + +This was certainly enough to rouse anybody. + +Up jumped Frank, and rushed to the door. + +Up jumped Bob, and sprang after him. + +The noise outside was outrageous. What was it? Could it be robbers? +No. Robbers would prefer to do their work in silence. What was it? + +Slowly and cautiously Frank opened the door, and looked forth into +the parlor. It was as yet quite dark, and the room into which he +peered was wrapped in the shades of night. What little he could +see he saw but indistinctly. Yet he saw something. + +He saw a dark, shadowy figure in rapid motion backward and forward, +and at every movement some article of furniture would go with a +crash to the floor. Sometimes the figure seemed to be on the table, +at other times it was leaping in the air. Suddenly, as he looked, +the door, which opened out into the parlor, was banged back with +a violent blow, and shut again. Frank was nearly knocked down. + +"What is it?" asked Bob. + +"I don't know," said Frank, "unless it's a madman." + +"What shall we do?" + +"If we were all together," said Frank, "we might make a rush at +him, and secure him. I've a great mind to make a start, as it is." + +"It must be a brigand!" said Bob; for his mind, like the minds of the +rest of the party, was largely filled with images of Italian bandits. + +"Perhaps so," said Frank; "but at any rate let's make a rush at +him. Will you do it?" + +"Of course," said Bob. + +At this Frank carefully opened the door again, and looked forth. +The noise had ceased for the time. Bob poked his head forth also. +They looked eagerly into the room. + +Suddenly Frank touched Bob. + +"Look!" he whispered, "by the table." + +Bob looked. + +It was certainly a singular sight that met their view. In the midst +of the gloom they could see two balls of light that seemed like +eyes, though there was no form visible to which these glaring, +fiery eyes might belong. And the eyes seemed to glare out of the +darkness directly at them. All was still now; but the very stillness +gave additional horror to that unseen being, whose dread gaze seemed +to be fastened upon them. + +Suddenly David's voice was heard from the next room,-- + +"Frank! Bob!" + +"Hallo!" cried both boys. + +"What shall we do? Can't you do something?" + +"I'll see," cried Frank. "Bob, light the lamp." + +"I haven't any matches," said Bob. + +"What a pity!" said David. "Can't you wake Uncle Moses? Your room +is next to his." + +At this Bob went to the wall between his room and that of Uncle +Moses, and began to pound with all his might. Uncle Moses did not +respond, but there came a response from another quarter. It was +from the thing in the parlor. Once more the fearful uproar began. +Crash! went the chairs. Bang! went the tables. A rapid racket of +hard footfalls succeeded, mingled with the smash of the furniture. + +Frank closed the door. + +"If I only had a light," said he, "I should know what to do. But +what can a fellow do in the dark?" + +"I wonder what's the matter with Uncle Moses." + +"He? O, he would sleep through anything." + +"I wonder if it is a brigand, after all," said Bob. + +"I don't know. I still think it may be a +madman." + +"I don't like those glaring eyes." + +"If I only had a fair chance, and could see," said Frank, fiercely, +"I'd soon find out what is behind those glaring eyes." + +Louder grew the din while they were speaking--the rattle, the +bang, the smash, the general confusion of deafening sounds. + +"I should like to know," said Frank, coolly, "how much longer this +sort of thing is going to last." + +For some time longer the boys kept the door shut, and the noise at +length ceased as suddenly as it had begun. It had now grown much +lighter, for in these southern countries twilight, whether in the +morning or the evening, is but of short duration, and light advances +or retires with a rapidity which is startling to the natives of +more northern latitudes. + +This increase of light gave fresh courage to Frank, who, even in +the dark, and in the face of the mystery, had behaved very well; +and he began to arrange a plan of action. His arrangements were +soon completed. He simply drew a jackknife from his pocket, and +opened it. + +"Now, Bob," said he, "you follow me." + +"All right," said Bob, cheerily. + +Frank quietly opened the door, and looked forth, while Bob, in +eager curiosity, looked out the same instant. There was now sufficient +light for them to see every object in the room. A scene of wild +disorder revealed itself. All the furniture was turned topsy-turvy. +The door leading to the gallery was open, and there, before their +eyes, standing on the sofa, was the being that had created such +excitement. + +One look was enough. + +One cry escaped both the boys:-- + +"A billy goat! A miserable billy goat!" cried they. + +And the next moment both of them sprang forward and seized the +animal by the horns. + +Then began a struggle. The goat was strong. He was also excited +by the singularity of his surroundings and the suddenness of the +attack. So he showed fight, and resisted desperately. Frank and +Bob, however, clung most tenaciously to the horns which they had +seized. Backward and forward the combatants pushed and dragged one +another, with a new uproar as loud as the previous one. + +In the midst of this they were interrupted by the appearance of +Uncle Moses. + +The door of his room opened, and that venerable personage made his +appearance in a long night-gown, which reached to his heels, and +wearing a long, starched night-cap, which nearly touched the ceiling. + +"Wal, I never!" was his ejaculation. "What's this, boys? Why, +whatever _air_ you doin' with that thar goat?" + +The boys returned no answer, for they were struggling with their +enemy. By this time David and Clive made their appearance, and each +seized one of the goat's hind legs. This additional help decided +the contest. The animal was thrown down and held there, still +kicking and struggling violently. + +Scarcely had they taken breath when there was another interruption. +This time it was at the outside door. A burly Italian made his +appearance there--very brown, very bearded, very dirty, and very +unsavory. For some time he stood without saying one word, staring +into the room, and fixing his eyes now on the goat as it was held +down by the boys, again on the broken furniture, and finally on +the long, and somewhat ghostly figure of Uncle Moses. + +"_Santissima Madre!_" + +This Was the exclamation that at last burst from the big, burly, +brown, bearded, dirty, and unsavory Italian. At this the boys looked +up, unconsciously loosening their grasp as they did so. The goat, +feeling the grasp relax, made a mighty effort, and rolled over. +Then he leaped to his feet. Then he made a wild bound to the door, +over the prostrate forms of David and Clive. The big, burly, brown, +bearded, dirty, and unsavory Italian made an effort to evade the +animal's charge. He was not quick enough. Down he went, struck full +in the breast, and away went the goat into the gallery, and down +the stairs, and so into the outer world. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_How in the World did it get there?--A joyous Ride.--Hark! Hark! +The Dogs do bark! Beggars come to Town; some in Rags, some in Tags, +and some in a tattered Gown!--A pleasant Meditation on a classic +Past very rudely, unexpectedly, and even savagely interrupted, and +likely to terminate in a Tragedy!--Perilous Position of David and +Clive._ + + +Fortunately, no bones were broken. The Italian slowly picked +himself up, and casting a stupid look at the boys, moved slowly +away, leaving the occupants of the standing there in their +night-clothes, and earnestly discussing the question,--How in the +world did the goat get there? + +This was indeed a knotty question, till at length it was unravelled +by Uncle Moses. + +"Wal, I declar," said he, "ef I didn't go an leave the door open." + +"You!" cried all. + +"Yes," said he. "You see it was dreadful close an suffocatin last +night; so when you went to bed, I jest left that door open to cool +off. Then I went off to bed, and forgot all about it." + +That was clear enough as far as it went, but still it did not +account for the presence of a goat in the sixth story of a hotel. +This they found out afterwards. That very day they saw flocks of +goats being driven about from house to house. At other times they +saw goats in their own hotel. They were hoisted up to the various +stories, milked, and left to find their way down themselves. The +fashion of using goat's milk was universal, and this was the simple +way in which families were supplied. As to their visitor, the billy +goat, he was undoubtedly the patriarch of some flock, who had +wandered up stairs himself, perhaps in a fit of idle curiosity. + +"If it hadn't been dark," said Frank. "If it hadn't been so abominably +dark!" + +"We were like Ajax," said David,--who was a bit of a pedant, and +dealt largely in classical allusions,--"we were like Ajax, you +know:-- + + 'Give as but light, and let as _see_ our foes, + We'll bravely fall, though Jove himself oppose.'" + +"O, that's all very well," said Uncle Moses; "but who's goin to +pay for all that thar furnitoor? The goat can't." + +"Uncle Moses," said Bob, gravely, "there's a great deal in what +you say." + +Uncle Moses turned away with a look of concern in his mild face, +and retreated into his room. + +(It may as well be stated here, that Uncle Moses had to pay for +that furniture. The landlord called up an interpreter, and they +had a long and somewhat exciting interview. It ended in the landlord's +recovering a sum of money which was sufficient to furnish a whole +suit of apartments in another part of the house.) + +Being now fairly introduced to Naples, the boys were all eager to +see the place and its surroundings, and Uncle Moses was quite +willing to gratify them in any way. So they hired a carriage, found +a guide, named Michael Angelo, who could speak English, and, thus +equipped, they set out first for Baiae. + +Through the city they went, through the crowded streets; past the +palaces, cathedrals, gardens; past the towers, castles, and quays; +till at last there arose before them the mighty Grotto of Posilipo. +Through this they drove, looking in astonishment at its vast +dimensions, and also at the crowds of people who were passing +through it, on foot, on horseback, and on wheels. Then they came +to Pozzuoli, the place where St. Paul once landed, and which is +mentioned in the New Testament under its ancient name--Puteoli. + +Here they were beset by beggars. The sight of this produced strange +effects upon the little party. Uncle Moses, filled with pity, +lavished money upon them, in spite of the remonstrances of the +guide. Clive's sensitive nature shuddered at the spectacle. Frank +tried to speak a few words of Italian to them, which he had caught +from Michael Angelo. David muttered something about the ancient +Romans, while Bob kept humming to himself these elegant verses:-- + + "Hark! hark! The dogs do bark! + Beggars come to town, + Some in rags, some in tags, + Some in a tattered gown!" + +The beggars followed them as far as they could, and when they left +them, reinforcements always arrived. + +Thus they were beset by them at the crater of the extinct volcano +of Solfatura. + +They encountered them at the gateway of Cumae, + +At the Grotto of the Comaean Sibyl, + +At Nero's Baths, + +At the Lucrine Lake, + +At Baiae, + +At Misenum, + +In fact everywhere. + +Still, they enjoyed themselves very well, and kept up their pursuit +of sights until late in the day. They were then at Baiae; and here +the party stopped at a little inn, where they proposed to dine. +Here the beggars beset them, in fresh crowds, till Uncle Hoses was +compelled to close his purse, and tear himself away from his +clamorous visitants. Frank and Bob went off to see if they could +find some donkeys, ponies, or horses, so as to have a ride after +dinner; while David and Clive strolled off towards the country. + +"Come, Clive," said David, "let Frank and Bob enjoy their jackasses. +For my part, I want to get to some place where I can sit down, and +see this glorious land. It's the most classic spot in all the +world." + +"It's the most beautiful and poetic," said Clive, who was given to +sentiment. + +Walking on, they came to a place which projected into the sea, and +here they sat down. + +"O, what a glorious sight!" exclaimed Clive. "Look at this wonderful +Bay of Naples! How intensely blue the water is! How intensely blue +the sky is! And look at Vesuvius opposite. What an immense amount +of smoke is coming from the crater!" + +"Yes," said David, clearing his throat, "this is the place that +the elder Pliny sailed from at the time of the destruction of +Herculaneum and Pompeii. And look all around. That little town +was once the luxurious Baiae. Over yonder is Lake Lucrine, which +Virgil sings about. On that side is Misenum, where the Roman navy +lay. There is Caligula's Bridge. What a glorious place! Everything +that we have ever read of in classic story gathers about us here. +Cicero, Caesar, Horace, Virgil, Tiberius, and Juvenal, seem to live +here yet. Nero and Agrippina, Caligula and Claudius,--every old +Roman, good or bad. And look, Clive, that is land out there. As I +live, that is Capraea! And see,--O, see, Clive,--that must be +the--" + +"_Datemi un carlino, signori, per l'amor di Dio. Sono povero--molto +povero!_" + +It was in the middle of David's rather incoherent rhapsody that +these words burst upon his ears. He and Clive started to their +feet, and found close behind them a half dozen of those miserable +beggars. Two of them were old men, whose bleary eyes and stooping +frames indicated extreme age. One was a woman on, crutches. Number +Four was a thin, consumptive-looking man. Number Five and Number +Six were strong-limbed fellows, with very villanous faces. It was +with one universal whine that these unwelcome visitors addressed +the boys. + +"_Datemi un carlino, signori, per l'amor di Dio._" + +David shook his head. + +"_Sono miserabile_," said Number Five. + +"I don't understand," said David. + +"_Noi abbiam fame_," said Number Six. + +"_Non capisco_," said Clive, who had learned that much Italian from +Michael Angelo. + +"_O, signori nobilissime!_" + +"I tell you, I don't understand," cried David. + +"Non capisco," repeated Clive. + +"_Siamo desperati_," said Number Six, with a sinister gleam in his +eyes, which neither of the boys liked. + +"Come, Clive," said David, "let's go back. Dinner must be ready by +this time." + +And they turned to go. + +But as they turned, Number Five and Number Six placed themselves +in the way. + +"_Date qualche cosa_," they whined; and each of them seized a boy +by the arm. The boys tried to jerk their arms away, but could not. + +"Let us go," cried David, "or it will be the worse for you." + +The two beggars now talked in Italian without relaxing their hold. +Then they tried to pull the boys away; but the boys resisted bravely, +and began to shout for help. At this the other beggars came forward +menacingly, and Number Five and Number Six put their arms round +the boys, and their hands over their mouths. Neither David nor +Clive could now utter a cry. They could scarcely breathe. They were +at the mercy of these miscreants! + +It was, in truth, a perilous position in which David and Clive +found themselves. Those ragged rascals, the beggars, were as +remorseless as they were ragged. They had the boys at their mercy. +The place was sufficiently far from the town to be out of hearing; +and though the road was near, yet there were no people living in +the vicinity. It was, therefore, sufficiently solitary to permit +of any deed of violence being done with impunity. + +David and Clive gave themselves up for lost With a last frantic +effort, David tore his head loose, dashed his fist into the face +of beggar Number Six, who was holding him, and tried to escape. + +"_Scelerate!_" cried Number Six; and he threw David to the ground, +and held him down, while he caught him by the throat. But though +thus overpowered, David still struggled, and it was with some +difficulty that the big brute who held him was able to keep him +under. + +Suddenly, at this moment, when all hope seemed lost, a loud cry +was heard. There was a rush of two figures upon the scene; and the +next instant Number Six was torn away, and rolled over on his back. +A firm grasp was fixed on his throat, and a tremendous blow descended +on his head from a stout stick, which was wielded by the youthful +but sinewy arm of Frank Wilmot. At the same instant, also, Bob +Clark had bounded at Number Five, leaped on his back, and began +beating him about the head. + +The attack had been so sudden, and so utterly unexpected, that it +carried all before it. Away, with a wild cry of terror, fled the +four decrepit beggars, leaving Number Five and Number Six on the +field to themselves and the four boys. Number Six groaned with +pain, and struggled furiously. He wrenched himself from beneath +his assailants, but they again got the upper hand, and held on +firmly. But Number Six was too strong to be easily grappled with, +and it went hard with his assailants. + +Meanwhile Clive, relieved by Bob, had become an assailant also. +Snatching up a stone, he dashed it full in the face of Number Five. +The man staggered back and fell, and Bob narrowly escaped falling +under him. But Number Five sprang up instantly, and before Bob or +Clive could close with him again, darted off without attempting to +help Number Six, and ran for his life. Cowardly by nature, the +beggars did not think of the size of their assailants; their fears +magnified the boys to men; and they only thought of safety in a +panic flight But Number Six was there yet, with Frank Wilmot's +sinewy arms about him, and Bob and Clive now rushed to take part +in that struggle. This addition to the attacking force turned the +scale completely. + +The struggle that now followed was most violent, the Italian making +the most furious efforts to free himself; but Frank was very large +and strong for his years; he was possessed of bull-dog tenacity +and high-strung courage, and was strenuously assisted by the other +three; so that the union of all their forces formed something to +which one man was scarcely equal. In a very short time, therefore, +after the arrival of Bob and Clive, the would-be robber was lying +on his face, held firmly down by the four boys. + +"Boys," said Frank, who was sitting on his shoulders, "fold his +arms over his back." + +As they did this, he twisted his handkerchief tightly, and then +bound it around the man's hands as firmly as if it had been a rope. +Bob and Clive held him down by sitting on his legs, while David +sat on his neck. Frank now asked for their hand, kerchiefs, twisted +them, tied them together, and then directed Bob to fasten the man's +feet. This was Bob's task, and he did it as neatly as though he +had been brought up to that particular business exclusively. + +The man was now bound hard and fast, and lay on his face without +a word, and only an occasional struggle. The weight of the boys +was so disposed that it was not possible for him to get rid of +them, and Frank watched all his attempted movements so vigilantly, +that every effort was baffled at the outset. Frank also watched +Bob as he tied the knots, and then, seeing that the work was well +done, he started up. + +"Come, boys," said he, "let's give the rascal a chance to breathe." + +At this the boys all got up, and the Italian, relieved from their +weight, rolled over on his back, and then on his side, staring all +around, and making desperate efforts to free himself. He was like +the immortal Gulliver when bound by the Lilliputians, except that +one of his assailants, at least, was no Lilliputian, for in brawn, +and sinew, and solid muscle, Frank, boy though he might be, was +not very much, if at all, his inferior. As he struggled, and stared, +and rolled about, the boys looked on; and Frank watched him carefully, +ready to spring at him at the first sign of the bonds giving way. +But the knots had been too carefully tied, and this the Italian +soon found out. He therefore ceased his useless efforts, and sat +up; then, drawing up his feet, he leaned his chin on his knees, +and stared sulkily at the ground. + +"And now," said David, "what are we to do?" + +"I don't know," said Frank. + +"Let's go for Uncle Moses," said Bob, "or Michael Angelo." + +"We'd better hunt up a policeman," said Clive. + +"No," said Frank, "let's get Uncle Moses here first. You go, Bob; +and be quick, or else those other beggars'll be back here and +release him." + +Upon this Bob set out, and the others guarded the prisoner. Bob +was not gone long, however, but soon returned in company with Uncle +Moses. Bob had found him at the inn, and in a breathless way had +told him all, but he had scarcely understood it; and as he now came +upon the scene, he looked around in wonder, and seemed utterly +bewildered. Had he found his beloved boys captured by bandits, he +would have been shocked, but not very much surprised--for that was +the one terror of his life; but to find the tables turned, and a +bandit captured by his boys, was a thing which was so completely +opposed to all his ordinary thoughts, that he stood for a moment +fairly stupefied. Nor was it until David had told the whole story, +and thus given him a second and Davidian edition of it, that he +began to master the situation. + +"Dear! dear! dear!" he cried, looking slowly at each of the boys +in succession, and then at their silent and sulky captive, "and so +you railly and truly were attacked and made prisoners by bandits. +Dear! dear! dear!" + +He looked inexpressibly shocked, and for some time stood in silence +amid the loud clatter of the boys. + +"Well, Uncle Moses," said Frank, at last, "what are we to do with +him?" + +To this Uncle Moses made no reply. It was certainly a somewhat +puzzling inquiry; and his own life had been so peaceful and +uneventful, that the question of the best way of dealing with a +captured bandit was, very naturally, a somewhat perplexing one to +answer. He stood, therefore, with his head bent forward, his right +hand supporting his left elbow, and his left hand supporting his +forehead, while his mild eyes regarded the captive robber with a +meek and almost paternal glance, and his mind occupied itself in +weighing that captives destiny. + +"Well, Uncle Moses," said Frank a second time, somewhat impatiently, +"what, are we to do with him? We must do something,--and be quick +about it too,--or else the other beggars'll be back." + +"Wal," said Uncle Moses, slowly and thoughtfully, "that's the very +identical pint that I'm a meditatin on. An the long an the short +of it is, that I'm beginnin to think, that the very best thing you +can do is to take your handkerchees back, and come back with me to +the inn, and get some dinner. For I've every reason to believe that +dinner's ready about this time, bein as I remember hearin a bell +a ringin jest before Bob came for me." + +At this the boys stared in amazement at Uncle Moses, not knowing +what in the world to make of this. + +"What do you mean," said Frank, "about our handkerchiefs, when +we've tied up the bandit with them?" + +"Why," said Uncle Moses, "I think if you come you may as well bring +yer handkerchees with you--as I s'pose you prefer havin em." + +"But we'd have to untie them," said Bob. + +"Wal, yes," said Uncle Moses, dryly; "that follers as a nat'ral +consequence." + +"What!" cried Frank, in an indignant voice, "untie him? Let him +go? And after he has nearly killed David and Clive?" + +"Wal, he didn't _quite_ kill em," said Uncle Moses, turning his +eyes benignantly upon the two boys. "They seem to me jest now to +be oncommon spry--arter it all. They don't look very nigh death, +as far as appearances go. No harm's done, I guess; an so, I dare +say, we'd best jest let em go." + +At this Frank looked ineffably disgusted. + +"You see, boys," said Uncle Moses, "here we air, in a very peculiar +situation. What air we? Strangers and sojourners in a strange land; +don't know a word of the outlandish lingo; surrounded by beggars +and Philistines. Air there any law courts here? Air there any +lawyers? Air there any judges? I pause for a reply. There ain't +one. No. An if we keep this man tied up, what can we do with him? +We can't take him back with us in the coach. We can't keep him and +feed him at the hotel like a pet animule. I don't know whar the +lock-up is, an hain't seen a policeman in the whole place. Besides, +if we do hand this bandit over to the _po_lice, do you think it's +goin to end there? No, sir. Not it. If this man's arrested, we'll +be arrested too. We'll have to be witnesses agin him. An that's +what I don't want to do, if I can help it. My idee an aim allus is +to keep clear of the lawyers; I'd rather be imposed on; I'd rather +pay out money unjustly, be cheated, humbugged, and do any thin, +than put myself in the power of lawyers. Depend upon it, they're +as bad here as they air home. They'd have us all in jail, as +witnesses. Now, I don't want to go to jail." + +The words of Uncle Moses produced a strong impression upon +the boys. Even Frank saw that handing the man over to the +authorities would involve some trouble, at least, on their +part. He hated what he called "bother." Besides, he had no +vengeful feelings against the Italian, nor had Bob. As for +David and Clive, they were the only ones who had been really +wronged by the fellow; but they were the last in the world to +harbor resentment or think of revenge. Their victory had also +made them merciful. So the end of it was, that they did +according to Uncle Moses' suggestion, and untied the bonds. + +Number Six was evidently amazed. He rose to his feet, looked warily +at the party, as though expecting some new attack, then looked all +around, and then, with a bound, he sprang away, and running towards +the road, soon disappeared. The rest did not delay much longer, +but returned as soon as possible to the inn, where they found their +dinner ready. This they ate, and then drove back to Naples. + +The opportune arrival of Frank and Bob was soon explained. They +had been riding on donkeys, and had seen the crowd around David +and Clive, and the struggle. Fearing some danger for their companions, +they had hastened to the spot, and reached it in time to be of +service. The adventure might have been most serious to David and +Clive; but as it happened, the results were of no very grave +character. They felt a little sore; that is all. Bob, also had a +bad bruise on his left arm; but on the whole, very little harm had +been done, nor did the boys regret afterwards that they had let +the scoundrel go free. + +As for their guide, Michael Angelo, he had been busy in another +direction, during this adventure, and when he heard of it, he was +very anxious to have them arrested; but Uncle Moses, for reasons +already stated, declined to do anything. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Out into the Country.--The Drive.--The glorious Land.--Sorrento +and eternal Summer.--The Cave of Polyphemus.--The Cathedral.--The +mysterious Image.--What is it?--David Relic-hunting.--A Catastrophe. +--Chased by a Virago.--The Town roused.--Besieged.--A desperate +Onset.--Plight.--Last of the Virago._ + + +A few days after the affair related in the last chapter, our party +set out from Naples on an excursion round the environs. With the +assistance of their landlord they were able to get a carriage, +which they hired for the excursion, the driver of which went with +them, and was to pay all their expenses for a certain given sum. +They expected to be gone several days, and to visit many places of +surpassing interest; for Naples is a city whose charms, great as +they are, do not surpass the manifold loveliness with which it is +environed, and the whole party would have been sorry indeed if they +had missed any one of those scenes of enchantment that lay so +invitingly near them. + +As they drove along the shore they were all in the highest spirits. +The sky was cloudless, and of that deep blue color which is common +to this climate; and the sun shone with dazzling brightness, being +only warm enough to be pleasant, and not in any way oppressive. +For many miles the way seemed nothing else than a street. Houses +arose on each side; crowds of people, and multitudes of wagons, +and droves of cattle constantly met their eyes. Caleches dashed +about in all directions. The street itself was paved with the +large lava blocks which prevail throughout the city; and in fact +it seemed as though Naples was prolonging itself indefinitely. + +At length they emerged from the close-built city, and entered the +country. All the way the scenery was exquisite. On the left extended +green fields, and orchards, and vineyards; spreading away for miles, +they rose up the sides of high mountains. Upon these were small +villas and hamlets, while occasionally a castle perched upon some +inaccessible height threw an air of romantic attraction about the +scene. They passed several villages, and at length reached +Castellamare, a town on the shore of the bay. Passing beyond this, +they found a change in the scenery. The road wound along cliffs +which overhung the sea, and was ornamented by trees. The road itself +was a magnificent one, as smooth as a floor, and by its circuitous +course afforded a perpetual variety. The far white houses of +Naples, the towers that dotted the shore on every side, the islands +that rose from oat the waters, the glorious bay, the gloomy form +of Vesuvius, with its smoke clouds overhanging, all united to form +a scene which called forth the most unbounded admiration. Besides +all these general features there were others of a more special +character, as from time to time they came to some recess in the +shore; and the road running in brought them to some little hamlet, +which, nestling here, seemed the abode of peace, and innocence, +and happiness. Through such variations of scenery they passed, and +at length arrived at Sorrento. + +This little town is most beautifully situated near the month of +the Bay of Naples, and around it arise high, encircling hills +which protect it from the cold blasts of winter and the hot winds +of summer. Sorrento has a perfect climate, All the seasons are +blended together here, and in the orange groves, that surround +the town, there may be seen at the same time the strange spectacle +of trees in blossom side by side with trees that are loaded with +fruit fully ripe. + +It was evening when they arrived, and they had not much time to +spare; so they at once procured a guide from the hotel, and set +forth to see what they could before dark. First, the guide took +them to a deep chasm, which was so wild and abrupt, so deep and +gloomy, that it looked like the work of a recent earthquake. Not +far from this were some ancient reservoirs, the work of the times +of imperial Rome. The arches were yet perfect, and over the reservoir +was a garden of orange trees. Not far distant was a ruined temple, +in the enclosure of which was a myrtle plant, five hundred years +old, and so large that it formed a respectable tree. + +After showing them these things and several others, the guide took +them to the sea-shore, to a place which goes by the name of the +Cave of Polyphemus. This is a large cavern in the cliff, in front +of which is a huge fragment of rock. Here the boys recalled the +story of Ulysses; and David volunteered to give it in full to Uncle +Moses. So David told how Ulysses ventured to this place with his +companions; how the one-eyed Cyclops caught them; how he imprisoned +them in the cabin, shutting up its mouth by means of a huge rock, +which David thought might have been that very fragment that now +lay on the shore before their eyes; how the monster began to devour +them; how Ulysses devised a plan of escape, and succeeded in putting +out the eye of the monster; how he then effected his escape from +the cave, and regaining his vessel, put forth to sea. + +Then they went to visit the house in which Tasso was born. They +were not able to enter it, and as it was now dark, they retreated +to their hotel. + +Oh the following morning they all set oat without the guide, to +see the town for themselves. A festival of some kind was going on, +which attracted many people, and the cathedral was filled. The +boys, haying nothing else to do, wandered away towards the common +centre of attraction. They soon lost one another in the crowd, and +one by one they worked their way into the interior of the place. +The organ was sounding forth, the priests were intoning service, +on the altar candles were burning, and far on high, through the +lofty vaulted nave, there rolled "the smoke of incense and the wail +of song!" + +David found himself a little distance away from a side chapel, +which was evidently the chief attraction to the worshippers within +the sacred edifice. A dense crowd assembled about it, and in front +of it. Through these David managed to make his way, full of curiosity +about the cause of their interest. He at length forced himself far +enough forward to see inside the chapel. He saw a structure, in +the centre of the chapel, covered with drapery, upon which was a +cushion. Lying on this cushion was the image of a child, clothed +in rich attire, and spangled with jewels, and adorned with gold +and silver. Whether it was made of wood or wax he could not tell, +but thought it was the former. The sight of it only tempted his +curiosity the more, and he longed to look at it more closely. It +was evidently considered by the surrounding crowd to be an object +of great sanctity, for they regarded it with the utmost reverence, +and those nearest were on their knees. Upon the altar, at the end +of this chapel, lights were burning, and a priest was engaged in +religious ceremonies. + +David's desire to go closer was so strong, that he waited patiently +in this one spot for the opportunity of gratifying his curiosity. +He had to wait for a long time; but at length he had the satisfaction +of seeing a movement among the people, which showed that they were +on the point of dispersing. After this the crowd lessened, and +the people began to take their departure. At length but a few +remained, some of whom were still on their knees around the image. + +David now, in a slow and unassuming manner, advanced towards the +image. He could go close to it, and was able to see it perfectly. +An iron rail surrounded the structure on which it was laid, preventing +too close an approach; but standing here, outside of the rail, +David saw that the image was very rudely carved out of wood, and +was intended to represent a child. Why such an image should be the +object of such interest and devotion he could not for the life of +him imagine. He could only postpone any investigation into this +until he could find out from some one. + +And now there came over him an overwhelming desire to obtain a +fragment from some portion of this image, or, its dress, or its +surroundings, to serve as a relic. His relic-hunting propensities +had never been stronger than they were at this moment, and no sooner +did the idea suggest itself than he looked all around to see what +were the chances. + +As he looked around he saw that the cathedral was nearly empty: a +priest was near the high altar, two boys were in the middle of the +nave, by the chief entrance was a little group just preparing to +leave. Nearer him, and close by the image, were two women. They +were on their knees, and appeared to be absorbed in their devotions. +It seemed to David that it would be quite easy to possess himself +of some small and unimportant portion of the drapery. He was quite +unobserved, for the two women who were nearest were not regarding +him, the drapery was within easy reach, and a row of tassels, upon +which he could lay his hand, offered an irresistible temptation. +If he could but get one of those tassels, what an addition it would +be to his little stock of treasures! + +David once more looked all around. The priests were still at the +altar; but the boys had gone from the nave, and those who had been +near the door had departed. The women seemed as intent as ever upon +their devotions. David looked at the drapery once more, and upon +one of the tassels which was nearest him. + +Once more he looked all around, and then, stretching forward his +hand, he touched the coveted tassel. + +Then he drew back his hand, and putting it in his pocket, he drew +forth his knife, which he opened. + +Then he looked around once more. + +Then, for the last time, he put his hand forward, holding the knife +so as to cut the tassel. But the cord which bound the tassel to +the drapery was strong, and the knife was very dull, and David +found that it was not so easy as he had supposed. But he was +determined to get it, and so he sawed away, with his dull old knife, +at the cord, severing one by one the filaments that composed it, +but doing this so slowly that he began to grow impatient. The +women were not looking. There was no danger. To work with one hand +was useless, and so he reached forth both hands, and began sawing +away more vigorously than ever. But his impatience, and his vehement +pulls and tugs, produced an effect which he had not expected. The +heavy drapery, which had been loosely thrown over, began to slide +off towards him as he pulled. David did not notice this, but +continued his work, looking around to see whether the women were +noticing him or not. At length he had sawed the cord almost through, +and gave a quick pull at it to break it. + +The next moment the heavy drapery came sliding down towards him, +and, to his horror, the wooden image came with it, falling with a +crash on the marble pavement. + +In an instant the two women started to their feet, staring with +wild eyes at the image and the drapery. Then their wild eyes caught +sight of David, whose frightened face would have revealed him as +the guilty cause of this catastrophe, even if it had not been shown +by the tassel and the knife, which were in his hands. + +With a sharp, shrill scream, one of the women sprang towards him. +David instinctively leaped back, and eluded her. The woman chased. +David dodged her around a pillar. + +The woman followed. + +David dodged behind another pillar. + +The woman cried out, "_O Scellerato! Birbone! Furbo! Ladrone!_" +And though David's knowledge of the Italian language was but slight, +yet it sufficed to show him that these names which she yelled after +him had a very direful signification. + +Thus David fled, dodging, the woman behind pillar after pillar, +until at length he came near to the door. Had the other woman taken +part in the chase, David would certainly have been captured. But +the other woman did not. She stood as if petrified--motionless and +mute, staring at the fallen sanctuary, and overwhelmed with horror. +So the flight went on, until at length, reaching the door, David +made a rush for it, dashed through, and ran as fast as his legs +could carry him. The woman followed, but at a slower rate of speed, +and saw him go into the hotel. Then she returned to the church, +after which she went abroad with the story of the horrible desecration +through all Sorrento. + +On reaching the hotel, David found the rest of the party there, at +dinner. He said nothing of his recent adventure, but took his seat +at the table. + +Before long, the party became conscious of a great tumult and uproar +in the street in front of the house. Frank and Bob went to the +windows, and looked out. A sudden exclamation of surprise brought +Clive and Uncle Moses to their side. David followed slowly, with +a strange feeling of apprehension, and with the recollection of +his late flight still strong in his mind. + +He looked out. + +A great crowd presented itself to his horrified eyes--a crowd +representing all Sorrento; old, the middle-aged, the young; the +rich, poor; male and female; old men, old women, boys, and +children. At the head of this, and immediately in front of the +door, was the very old woman who bad discovered his sacrilege, +and had chased him through the cathedral. Now he had hoped that +the old woman had forgotten him; but her appearance now was +tenfold more terrible than ever. Here she was--a virago--with a +great following, whom she was exciting by violent harangues, and +urging by wild gesticulations, to do something or other which +David could not understand, but which he could well imagine to +be something that had reference to his own humble, unworthy, and +very much terrified self. + +Before they had fairly grasped the whole of the scene that was thus +so suddenly presented, they were accosted by the landlord and the +driver, who entered the room hurriedly, and in some excitement, in +search of them. + +"One grand meesfortune haf arrive," said the landlord. "De people +declare you haf insult de Bambino. Dey cry for vengeance. How is dis?" + +"What?" asked Frank; "insult what?" + +"De Bambino." + +"Bambino?" + +"Yes. It is de consecrate image--de Bambino--does miracles, makes +cures; wonderful image, de pride of Sorrento; an dis is de day +sacred to him. What is dis meesfortune dat I hear of? It is one +grand calamity--for you--eef you do not take care." + +"Bambino? insult?" said Frank. "We haven't insulted anything +whatever. They're crazy." + +Here David, finding concealment useless, confessed all. The boys +listened in astonishment The landlord shook his head with an +expression of concern and perplexity. + +Then he had a long conversation with the driver. + +Then they both left the room. The landlord went outside, and tried +to appease the crowd. He might possibly, have succeeded, had it +not been for David's old woman, who shook her fists in his face, +stamped, appealed to Heaven, raved, and howled, all the time he +was speaking. The consequence was, that the landlord's words had +no effect. + +He then entered the hotel once more, and after seeing the driver, +and speaking a few words, he hurried up to our party, who by this +time were in a state of general alarm. + +"You must run--fly--leaf Sorrento--now--widout delay," he +cried, breathlessly. "I haf order de carriage. I sall tell de +people dat you sall be arrest, an pacify dem for a few moments, +till you get start." + +The landlord once more left them, and going out to the crowd, he +made a few remarks, to the effect that the hotel was being searched +now for the offender against the Bambino, and when he was found he +would at once be handed over to the authorities. He urged them to +wait patiently, and they should see that justice would be done. + +The crowd now grew calmer, and waited. The landlord then went back, +and led the party down to the court-yard. Here the carriage was +all in readiness, and the driver was waiting. They all got in at +once, unseen by the crowd in the street; and then, cracking his +whip, the driver urged the horses off at full speed through the +gates. The crowd fell back on either side, so as to make away, and +were not in a position to offer any obstacles to so sudden an onset. +They also had the idea that the culprit was inside the hotel, in +the hands of the authorities. + +But the old woman was not to be deceived; she saw it all in a +moment, and in a moment she raised the alarm. Having, howling, +gesticulating wildly, dancing, and jumping, she sprang after the +carriage. The crowd followed. But the carriage had already got a +good start; it had burst through the people, and those who stood +in the way were only too glad to get out of it, and thus, with the +horses at full speed, they dashed up the street; and before long +they had left Sorrento, and the hotel, and the insulted Bambino, +and the excited crowd, and the raving old beldam far behind. + +David's adventure in Sorrento had been a peculiar one, and one, +too, which was not without danger; but if there was any satisfaction +to be got out of it, it was in the fact that the tassel which he +had acquired, remained still in his possession, to be added to his +little stock of relics. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Salerno and the sulky Driver.--Paestum and its Temples.--A great +Sensation.--An unpleasant Predicament.--Is the Driver a Traitor?--Is +he in League with Bandits?--Arguments about the Situation, and +what each thought about it._ + + +After a very pleasant drive through a country as beautiful as it +had been ever since they left Naples, the party reached Salerno, +where they passed the night. Salerno is a lovely place, situated +at the extremity of a bay, like Naples, of which it may be called +a miniature. It is protected from the wind by the high hills that +encircle it, and its delicious climate makes it a great resort for +invalids. But formerly Salerno had a different character, and one +far more prominent in the eyes of the world. Salerno has a history +full of events of the most varied and stirring character. Fought +for by Greek, and Roman, and German, and Saracen, and Norman, its +streets have witnessed the march of hundreds of warlike arrays, +and it has known every extreme of good or evil fortune. Two things +make. Salerno full of interest to the traveller who loves the past. +One is, its position as a seat of learning daring the middle ages. +Here once arose the greatest school of medicine in, the world, the +chairs of which were thrown open, to Jewish and Arabian professors, +who at that time far outstripped the students of the Christian +world in scientific attainments. The other thing is, that here the +great pope, Gregory VII., found refuge, after his long struggle, +and, flying from Rome, obtained rest here among the friendly Normans, +for it was in Salerno that he uttered those memorable dying words +of his: "I have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, and +therefore I die in exile." + +Here at Salerno they had a slight misunderstanding with their +driver. He insisted on getting more pay. As they had already made +a full contract with him, this demand seemed like an imposition, +and was rejected by the whole of them. The driver grew furiously +excited, gesticulated vehemently, stamped, his feet, rolled his +eyes, struck his fists together, and uttered language which sounded +like Italian oaths, though they could not make it out. Uncle Moses +seemed a little appalled at his vehement, and was inclined to +yield to his demands for the sake of peace; but the boys would +not listen to this for a moment. After watching the raging +Italian till they were tired, Frank at length started to his +feet, and in a peremptory tone ordered him out of the room. The +Italian was so unprepared for this decisive conduct on the part +of one who appeared to be but a boy, that he stopped short in +the midst of a most eloquent tirade against them, in which he +was threatening to denounce them to the authorities for sacrilege; +and having stopped, he stared at Frank, and seemed unable to go +on once more. Frank now repeated his orders, accompanying them +with a threat that he would call in the police. At this the +driver's brow lowered into a sullen scowl, and muttering some +expressions of rage and vengeance, he left the room. + +The boys chatted a little about the mutiny of the driver, as they +called it, but soon dismissed the thought from their minds. + +After passing the night at Salerno, they prepared, on the following +morning, to continue their journey. Early in the day, the driver +made his appearance. He was quiet, and not communicative, and much +changed from his former self. Frank addressed a few remarks to +him, but perceiving that he was sulky, he gave up all attempts to +appease his wrath. In fact, he began to think that it might, perhaps, +have been as well to comply with his request, for the request for +more money had been based upon his recent rescue of them from the +hands of the mob at Sorrento. Had the driver made his request a +little more meekly, and not presented it with such an assertion of +right, there is no doubt that they would have cheerfully given what +he asked. But his tone excited their resentment; and afterwards, +when the driver chose to lose his temper and scold them, they were +more determined than ever to refuse. Had he appeared at this time +with his former good-natured expression, and had he shown any signs +of compunction for his insolent behavior, there is no doubt that +they would have brought up the subject of their own accord, and +promised him as handsome a sum as his exploit deserved. But his +continued sulks prevented them from introducing the subject, and +so they concluded to defer it to some other time, when he might be +restored to himself. + +They now drove along the road en route for Paestum. At first they +drove along the sea-shore, but after a few miles the road turned +off into the country. All around them were fields, which were +covered with flocks and herds, while in the distance were hills +that were clothed with vineyards and olive groves, that adorned +their sloping declivities with mantles of dark green and light. In +the country, on either side, they also saw some indications of +Italian life, which excited strong feelings of repugnance within +them; for here and there, in many places, women were toiling in +the fields just as the men, with heavy hoes, or with ploughs, or +with harrows. In some places it was even worse, for they saw women +laboring in the fields, while the men lolled on the fences, or sat +smoking under the shade of some tree. The implements of labor used +excited their surprise. The hoes were as ponderous, as clumsy, and +as heavy as pickaxes; the ploughs were miserably awkward things--a +straight pole with a straight wooden share, which was sometimes, +though by no means always, pointed with iron. These ploughs were +worked in various ways, being sometimes pulled by donkeys, sometimes +by oxen, and on one memorable occasion a donkey and a woman pulled +the plough, while a man, who may have been the woman's husband, +guided it through the furrow. + +The road was a good one, and was at first well travelled. They met +soldiers, and priests, and peasants. They met droves of oxen, and +wine carts, and large herds of those peculiar hairless pigs which +are common to this country. As they drove on farther, the travel +diminished, and at length the country seemed more lonely. It was +still fertile, and covered with luxuriant vegetation on every side; +but the signs of human habitation decreased, until at length they +ceased. The reason of this lies in the unhealthy character of the +country, which, like many places in Italy, is subject to malaria, +and is shunned by the people. This is the nature of the country +which lies around ancient Paestum; and though the fields are +cultivated, yet the cultivators live at a distance upon the slopes +of the mountains. + +At about midday they arrived at Paestum. Here they descended from +the carriage, and giving instruction to the driver to remain at +this place until they should return, they started off to explore +the ruined city. It had been their intention to make use of the +driver as guide, to show them the objects of interest in the town; +but his long-continued sulks drove this from their minds, and they +concluded to trust to themselves and their guide-books. The carriage +was drawn up on the side of the road, not far from where there +stood an archway, still entire, which once formed one of the gates +of Paestum. + +Towards this they directed their steps. The gateway was formed of +large blocks of stone laid upon each other without cement, and by +their great size they had resisted the ravages of time. On either +side of this could be seen the foundation stones of the city walls, +which have fallen or have been removed in the course of ages. But +the circuit of the walls can be traced by the fragments that yet +remain, and from this circuit the size of the city may be judged. +Beyond the gates and in the enclosure of the walls are some majestic +and world-famed ruins, some of which are little else than masses +of rubbish, while others are so well preserved, that they might +now be used for the purpose to which they were originally devoted. +There are the remains of a theatre and of an amphitheatre, which, +however, are confused heaps, and some public edifices in the same +condition. The foundations of some private houses may also be +seen. But the most noted and most interesting of the remains of +Paestum are its two Temples and Basilica--edifices whose origin +reaches back to the depths of an immemorial antiquity, but which +still remain in a state of preservation so perfect as to be almost +incredible. For these edifices are as old, at least, as Homer, and +were probably in existence before his day. Phoenician sailors or +merchants may have set eyes on these temples, who also saw the +Temple of Solomon at its completion. They existed in the age of +the Pharaohs, and rival in antiquity, in massive grandeur, and in +perfect preservation, the Pyramids of Egypt. In the age of imperial +Rome, and even of republican Rome, these temples were ancient, and +the Emperor Augustus visited them, and regarded them as remains of +venerable antiquity. + +Of these three edifices, the most majestic, and probably the most +ancient, is the one which is called the Temple of Neptune. The +stone of which it is built, is found in the neighborhood still, +and presents a most singular appearance. At a distance it appears +very rough and full of holes, like cork. A closer examination shows +that it is really composed of innumerable fragments of wood, +compressed together in a vast, solid mass, and petrified. The +stone is exceedingly hard and durable. The blocks of this stone +out of which this temple, and the others also, are built, are of +such enormous size, that they can only be compared to those immense +masses that were heaped up to form the Pyramids of Egypt and the +Temples of Karnak. Piled up here upon one another without cement, +they have defied the ravages of time. + +The Temple of Neptune is approached by three immense steps, which +extend around every side of it. It is about two hundred feet in +length, and eighty in breadth, while on every side there is a row +of enormous columns of the Doric order, thirty-six in number. They +are all fluted, and have an aspect of severe and massive grandeur +that is unequalled in any other temple. Above these columns rise +an enormous Doric frieze and cornice, the height of which is equal +to half the height of the columns; and these proportions give such +vastness to the mass above, that it heightens the sublime effect. +The columns, which extend round the Temple, are thirty feet high, +and seven feet in diameter at the base. Inside, the pavement is +well preserved; and, though the altar is gone, yet the place where +it stood can easily be seen. There is no roof above, and probably +never was any; for many of the vast edifices of antiquity were open +to the sky--a circumstance which made the task of the architect +much easier, since it relieved him of the necessity of sustaining +a vast weight in the air, and also of the equal difficulty of +lighting the interiors of his buildings. From within the temple +enclosures, as from within the theatres and amphitheatres, the blue +sky could be seen overhead, while the too fervid rays of a +midsummer sun, or the storms of winter, could be warded off from +those within by means of an awning thrown over the open roof, +and stretched on cables. + +Near the Temple of Neptune is another, which is called the Temple +of Ceres. It is neither so large nor so grand as the former, but +it possesses more elegance and beauty. It is about a hundred feet +long and fifty feet wide. Like its companion, it is surrounded +on all sides by a colonnade, six pillars being in the front, six +in the rear, and twelve on either side. The altar here is gone, +but its foundations remain. Various signs show a greater degree +of splendor in the interior adornment of this temple, especially +the fact that the pavement was mosaic work. There is reason to +suppose that this temple was turned into a Christian church some +time in the fourth century. Such a transformation as this was +common enough throughout the Roman empire during that great +triumph of Christianity which took place under Constantine, and +after him, so that in this, case there need be little room for +doubt as to the truth of the statement. + +Not far from this is the third of the great edifices of Paestum. +It is about as large as the Temple of Neptune, being nearly two +hundred feet long, and about eighty feet wide. Like the others, it +is surrounded by a colonnade, but the architecture is less massive +than that of the first temple. Of these columns, nine are in front, +nine in the rear, and sixteen are on either side, making fifty in +all. In this edifice there are no signs whatever of an altar; and +this circumstance has led to the belief that it was not a temple +at all, but a court of law. Accordingly, it is called the Basilica, +which term was used by the Romans to indicate a place used for +public trials. Inside, the pavement yet remains, and there are the +remains of a row of columns which once passed along the middle of +the building from front to rear, dividing it into two parts. + +Of all the three, the Temple of Neptune is the grandest, the best +preserved, and the most famous. But the others are fit companions, +and the giant forms of these mighty relics of hoary antiquity, +unsurpassed by any other edifice, rise before the traveller, exciting +within him emotions of reverential awe. + +The party visited all these various objects of interest, and at +length returned to the gate. They had spent about two hours in +their Purvey of Paestum, and had seen all that there was to be +seen; and now nothing more remained but to return as soon as +possible, and spend that night at Salerno. They had seen nothing +of the driver since they left him, and they accounted for this on +the ground that he was still maintaining himself in his gigantic +sulk, and brooding over his wrongs; and they thought that if he +chose to make a fool of himself, they would allow him to do so as +long as it was agreeable to him. + +With these thoughts they approached the gateway. As they drew +near, they were surprised to find that there were no signs of the +carriage. The view was open and unobstructed. Here and there mounds +or fragments of stone arose in the place where once had been the +wall of the city of Paestum, and before them was the simple arch +of the massive gateway, but no carriage or horses were visible. + +This excited their surprise, and also their alarm. They remembered +that the sullen mood of the driver made him quite capable of playing +off some malicious trick upon them, and they recalled, also, his +threats of the evening before. Could he have chosen this way to put +his threats into execution? It seemed, indeed, very much like it. + +Still, there was one hope left. It was just possible that the carriage +had been drawn up more under the arch, so that it was hidden from +view. As this was the last hope that was left them, they hurried +forth to put an end to their suspense as soon as possible. Nearer +and nearer they came. + +At last they reached the arch. + +They rushed through it, and beyond it. + +There was nothing there! + +No carriage! No horses! No driver! + +At this they all stopped, and stared at one another in silent +consternation. + +"He's gone," cried Clive. "He's left us here--to get back the best +way we can." + +"He swore last night," said David, "that he'd pay us up; and this +is the way he's done it." + +"Yes," said Bob; "he's been sulky all day. He's been concocting +some plan." + +"I don't see what good it'll do him," said Frank. + +"He'll lose his fare. We won't pay him." + +"O. he'll give up that for the pleasure of revenge," said Clive. + +"Wal, wal, wal," cried Uncle Moses, looking all around with a face +of dark and doleful perplexity. "This here doos beat all I ever +seen in all my life. An now, what upon airth we can do--I'm sure +I can't tell." + +"Whatever we do," said Frank, "it won't do to wait here. It's too +late now." + +"Perhaps he hasn't run off at all," said David, who always was +inclined to believe the best of people. "Perhaps he has driven up +the road, and intends to return." + +Frank shook his head. + +"No," cried he. "I believe the scoundrel has left us. We paid him +half of his fare at Sorrento; the rest was to be paid at Naples; +but he has thrown that up, in order to have the pleasure of being +revenged on us. And where he's gone to now is a mystery to me." + +"O, I dare say he's driven off to Naples." + +"Perhaps so. But he may intend something more. I've heard that +there are brigands about here." + +"Brigands!" + +"Yes. And I shouldn't wonder if he has gone off with the intention +of bringing some of them here to pay their respects to us. He may +have started off immediately after we left him; and, if so, he's +had two hours already--time enough, as I think, to do a good deal +of mischief." + +"Brigands!" cried Uncle Moses, in a voice of horror. He stared +wildly around, and then looked, with moistened eyes, upon the boys. + +"O, boys," he sighed, "why did we ever ventoor out so far in this +here I-talian land, or why did we ever come to Italy at all? +Brigands! It's what I've allus dreaded, an allus expected, ever +sence I fust sot foot on this benighted strand. I ben a feelin it +in my bones all day. I felt it a comin over me yesterday, when the +mob chased us; but now--our hour hev come!" + +"Nonsense, Uncle Moses!" cried Frank, in a hearty, joyous voice. +"What's the use of giving up in that fashion? Cheer up. We'll be +all right yet." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_They discuss the Situation.--They prepare to foot it.--A toilsome +Walk and a happy Discovery.--The Language of Signs once more.--The +Mountain. Cavalcade.--Bob's Ambition.--Its Results--Bob +vanishes.--Consternation of the Donkey Boy.--Consternation of the +Cavalcade.--E Perduto!_ + + +The mention of brigands produced a startling and powerful effect +upon the whole party, and after Uncle Moses' wail of despair, and +Frank's rebuke, there was silence for a time. + +"Well," said David, "I don't know. I don't believe in brigands +altogether. Millions of people come to Italy without seeing anything +of the kind, and why should we? For my part, I still think it very +likely that the driver has driven back to some place on the road +where he can get better entertainment for man and beast than is +offered at Paestum." + +"Where could he go?" said Frank. "There isn't any inn for miles." + +"O you don't know," said David. "There are some by-roads, I dare +say, that lead to houses on the hills. I dare say he'll soon be +back. From what I've seen of the Italians, I think they'd stand a +great deal before losing any money. The driver would wait till he +got his pay, and then try to take his revenge." + +"Well, it may be so," said Frank; "burin any case, it will be best +for us to start off at once. There's no use waiting here any +longer. We can foot it, after all. And we may come to houses, or +we may pick up a wagon, and get a lift." + +This was evidently the best thing that could be done, and so they +all at once set off on foot, on their way back to Salerno. + +Fortunately for them, they were quite fresh. They had been driving +all the morning; and for two hours they had been strolling up and +down within a small circuit, looking at temples, or sprawling on +the grass. They had eaten a good lunch before leaving the carriage, +and had not had time yet to feel hungry. The weather was mild and +pleasant. The sun shone brightly, without being too hot, and +everything was favorable to a walk. More than all, the road was +very good, and not being much travelled, it was grass-grown to a +great extent, and this grass afforded an easy and agreeable path +for their feet. + +They set out in high spirits, walking pretty vigorously, yet not +too rapidly, for they wished to husband their strength, chatting +all the while, and debating the point as to the driver's intentions. +Frank maintained that he had deserted them out of malice, and Bob +coincided with this view. David, on the other hand, believed that +he had merely driven away to find refreshment, and would return, +and Clive sided with him. But, as mile after mile was traversed, +and still no signs of the driver appeared, David's theory grew +weak, and Frank's grew strong. As for Uncle Moses, he said nothing, +his feeling being chiefly one of intense anxiety to get the boys +home before meeting with brigands. The awful images of Italian +banditti, which Frank's words had called up in his mind, were not +to be easily got rid of. + +They walked on for about two hours, and by that time had succeeded +in putting some seven or eight miles between themselves and Paestum. +The road now became wider, and quite free from grass, giving every +indication of being a well-trodden thoroughfare, and exciting the +hope that they would find some wine cart at least, or other mode +of conveyance, by means of which they could complete their journey +to Salerno. + +Suddenly, on making a turn in the road, they saw before them some +moving objects, the sight of which elicited a shout of joy from Bob. + +"Donkeys! Donkeys!" he cried. "Hurrah, boys!" + +"Why, what good are they?" said David. + +"Good?" cried Bob; "every good in the world. We can hire them, or +buy them, and ride back to Salerno." + +"That's a capital idea," cried Frank, in great delight. "I hoped +to find wine carts, or ox carts; but donkeys are infinitely better." + +Hurrying forward, they soon overtook the donkeys. There were six +or eight of them, guided by an old man and a boy. Frank instantly +accosted them. Of course he could not speak Italian, but by means +of signs he succeeded in conveying to the old man's mind the +requisite idea. On this occasion he felt most strongly the benefit +which he had received from his intercourse with Paolo. Frank +thus pointed to his feet, and then backward, and then forward, +and then pointing to the donkey nearest, he made a motion to +mount, after which he showed the old man some money, and tapping +it, and pointing to the donkey, he looked inquiringly at him, as +if to ask, "How much?" + +The old man made some signs which seemed to Frank to be a question, +"How far?" so he roared out, in stentorian tones, "Salerno." + +Upon this the old man stood for a little while in silent thought. +Then he looked at Frank, and then, pointing with one hand at Frank's +money, with the other he touched the donkey which seemed to say +that he would let the donkey go for that price. As there was not +quite a dollar in Frank's hand, in loose change, the charge seemed +to him to be very reasonable, and even, as he expressed it, dirt +cheap. So thought all the rest, and they all proceeded to bring +forth their loose change, and pass it over to the old-man. The +hands of the latter closed over the silver, with a nervous and +almost convulsive clutch, and after one long, hungry look at each +lot that was given him, he would insert each very carefully in the +remote corner of an old sheepskin poach that hung in front of him, +suspended around his waist. + +But now arose a difficulty. The donkeys had no saddles. That was +a small matter, however, and was not the real difficulty. The +real difficulty lay in the fact that they had no bridles. How +could they guide them? + +Frank tried by signs to express this difficulty to the old man, +and the latter understood him, for he smiled, nodded, shrugged +his shoulders, and then pointed to his boy, and waved his band +in the direction they wished to go. The boy also smiled and +nodded, and made signs of his own, by which he plainly showed +them that he intended to accompany them as guide, and lead the +drove, while they might ride. + +This being understood, the boys felt satisfied, and each one now +proceeded to select the donkey which was most to his taste. Bob +had already made his selection, and was mounted on the back of the +biggest donkey of the lot--an animal whose size, breadth of chest, +and slender limbs gave him an air of actual elegance. All the boys +envied Bob his mount; but none of them complained. Frank secured +a solid animal, that had a matter-of-fact expression, and looked +as though he had no nonsense in him. Clive chose one that had a +slight shade of melancholy in his face, as though he had known +sorrow. David's donkey was a shaggy, hard-headed, dogged-looking +animal, that seemed bent on having his own way. Uncle Moses' +mount was rather eccentric. He chose the smallest animal of the +lot,--a donkey, in fact,--which was so small that its rider's +feet could only be kept from the ground with difficulty. Uncle +Moses, indeed, if he had chosen, might have taken steps on the +ground, and accelerated the motion of his beast by propelling +him with his own feet. + +Great was the laughter that arose among the party as each one +mounted his gallant steed, and turned to look upon his companion. +Jeers, and jokes, and light chaff arose, and the boys found no end +of fun in this new adventure. But Uncle Moses wasn't able to see +any fun in it at all. He sat with an expression on his face that +would have done honor to a martyr at the stake, and the boys +respected him too much to include him in their good-natured raillery. + +The Italian boy took David's donkey by the ear, and started. +David's donkey, in spite of his appearance of obstinacy, followed +without resistance, and trotted nimbly off, the Italian boy +running easily by his side. The other donkeys followed. As they +had no bridles and no saddles, some of the party had a little +difficulty in preserving their balance, but managed to do so by +grabbing the coarse hair of the donkey's mane. The pace was a +rapid one, and it was wonderful to see how well the Italian boy +kept up with them without losing breath, or slackening it. This +he did for a long time. + +Among those who cared nothing for saddle or bridle was Bob. On the +back of a donkey he felt as comfortable as though he was sitting +in an easy-chair. As they trotted along the road, Bob sat with his +arms folded, and his legs now hanging loosely, now drawn up in +front of him, and at other times pretending that he had a side-saddle. +At length he became discontented with the subordinate position that +he was occupying, in merely following in the rear of a leader like +David. He was a far better rider than David, and his donkey a far +better donkey than the leading one. With the ambitions desire to +obtain the post of honor for himself, he beat, pounded, and kicked +at his donkey. For a long time this had no effect whatever; the +donkey not only was not stimulated by it, but he did not even seem +to be conscious of it. At last Bob determined to resort to other +methods. Drawing a pin from his shirt collar, where it was filling +the place of a lost button, he stuck it two or three times in the +donkey's flanks. + +This was too much. The patience of Bob's donkey had reached its +farthest limit. It could endure it no more. + +With a wild bound the donkey sprang forward, and in three +paces had cleared the way to the first. Another leap, and he +was beyond them. + +The donkey ran like a race-horse. His slender, sinewy limbs +seemed as fitted for running and for speed as the limbs of an +antelope. His head was down, his neck arched, his tail in +the air, and his long, rapid strides bore him with astonishing +velocity far ahead and far away. + +The Italian boy tittered a cry of dismay, and stopped short. +The donkey which he was holding stopped also, and the others +did the same. The Italian boy looked with a face of consternation +after the runaway. All the rest looked with vague fears in +the same direction, and with a half hope that Bob might stop +the animal, or turn him. + +"_E perduto!_" exclaimed the Italian boy; and though they did +not understand Italian, yet there was something in his tone, +and look, and gesture, which told them the meaning of those +words--"He's lost!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Flight of Bob.--Difference between a tame Donkey and a wild +Ass.--Carried off to the Mountains.--The Headlong Course.--The +Mountain Pass.--The Journey's End.--Ill-omened Place.--Confounded +by a new Terror.--The Brigands._ + + +When the donkey first bounded off, the feelings of Bob were nothing +but pure, unmitigated delight. As his spirited animal, roused from +his indifference, burst through the crowd and reached the head, +Bob's heart swelled with triumph. As he rushed along the road, far +ahead of the rest, his triumph increased. He turned his head, and +waved his hands to his friends. Then he waved his cap in the air, +and shouted, "Hurrah!" Then he rode side-saddle fashion for a little +while, then he drew both legs up in front, and then he indulged in +a series of absurd and fantastic tricks. + +All this Bob did because he supposed that he was riding ahead +of his friends, and that they were following him, and admiring +him. He had not made any calculation as to the great rate of +speed at which his donkey was carrying him, and had no idea +how quickly he was leaving all the rest behind. So, while he +had been indulging in his pranks for the amusement of those +whom he supposed to be following him, he was, in reality, +already beyond the reach of their eyes. + +For his donkey was an animal very far superior to the common herd. +He was not a donkey--he was an ass--spirited, slender, sinewy, and +fleet as a race-horse. There was something so peculiarly easy in +the ass's gait that it deceived the rider. It seemed to him to be +a gentle ambling trot, or something midway between that and a +canter. In reality this easy pace was exceedingly swift, and before +long Bob was out of sight of his friends. This discovery burst +upon him as he turned, with the intention of shouting back some +nonsense to them, when, to his utter amazement and consternation, +he saw no signs of them whatever. + +It must be confessed that the shock which this discovery gave to +Bob was a very powerful one. He looked all around in anxious +curiosity, with the endeavor to comprehend his situation. His first +thought was, that some accident had happened to the party which +was delaying them; but soon he became aware of his own tremendous +progress, and understood the true state of the case'. He was now +in a place where the road ran straight for over a mile. At the end +of this it turned. As Bob reached this turning-place, he looked +back again, and far away, just at the entrance upon the straight +piece of road, he saw the party coming. A few seconds and he was +once more carried out of sight. + +And now Bob began to feel that his situation was a serious one. It +was not pleasant to be carried away in this manner, in a strange +country, on the back of an animal like this. Had it been a runaway +horse, he would have felt less troubled. He would, in fact, have +felt quite at home, for he had been frequently run away with on +horseback. He understood horses, but of asses he knew nothing. A +horse was to some extent a sensible animal. He would run away, and +in due time would come to a pause. But an ass! Was an ass possessed +of any sense of decency--any conscience? Would the well-known +obstinacy of the ass be shown on an occasion like this? and would +this ass, merely out of that obstinacy, keep on running for all +the rest of the day? It was a startling thought. + +Bob all this time had been making desperate efforts to stop the +ass. He was considerably embarrassed by the fact that there was +no bridle, and no way of getting at the ass, so as to exert his +strength upon him. He tried various ways. First he pulled at his +long ears. For this the ass cared not a whit. He did not seem +to be conscious of it. Then he wound his hands about his neck, +and tried to pull his head back. The effect was useless. Bob's +strength was unavailing. He could no more move that bent and +stubborn neck, than he could straighten the crooked fluke of an +anchor. Then he pounded wildly upon the neck, shoulders, and +flanks of the ass, and kicked against his sides. This, too, was +useless, for his puny blows seemed to affect the animal no more +than so many puffs of wind. Then Bob tried other means. He sat +upright, and suddenly called, in a short, sharp, peremptory voice, +"Whoa!" This he repeated over and over, but without any success; +and at length he reflected that _whoa_ was English, a language +which, of course, an Italian ass could not understand. + +While Bob had been putting forth these efforts, the ass bad been +flying along at an undiminished rate of speed, and the country +swept past him on either side. He passed long lines of trees by +the roadside, he saw field after field flit by, and the distant +hills went slowly along out of the line of his vision. Hitherto he +had met with no one at all along the road, nor had he seen any +cattle of any kind. His efforts to arrest the ass had been fruitless, +and he gave them up, and looked forward for some opportunity to +get assistance. He remembered that the road had no towns or inns +between Paestum and Salerno, and he began to fear that he would be +carried all the way to the latter place before he could stop. + +His fears, however, were unfounded; for now an event occurred which +made him full of other thoughts. It was a sudden change in the +course of his flight. Thus far they had been going along the main +road. Now, however, they came to a place where a road led away on +the right, apparently to the mountains. Without the slightest pause +or hesitation, but with undiminished speed, and the headlong flight +of one familiar with the way, the ass turned from the main road, +and ran into this side road. + +The anxiety and fear which Bob had thus far felt were trifling, +indeed, compared with the emotions that now seized upon him. Thus +far he had not felt altogether cut off from his friends. He knew +all the time that they were behind him, and that at the worst he +could not be carried farther than Salerno, and that they would come +up with him there, and thus they would all be reunited before dark. +But now he was suddenly carried off helplessly from the main road, +and in a moment seemed severed from his friends. Where was he going? +When would the ass stop? + +Before him arose the mountainous country, not many miles away, the +declivities in some places slight and gradual, in other places +abrupt. Cultivated spots appeared here and there, and white villages, +and old castles. It was not, however, an inviting country, and the +nearer he drew to it the less he liked it. The road here was not +so broad, and smooth, and easy as the one he had just left, but +was narrow and rough. At length he reached the skirts of the +mountains, and the road now began to ascend. After a while it grew +somewhat steeper, and decidedly rougher. And now Bob found, to his +immense relief, that the pace was at last beginning to tell upon +the tough sinews of the fiery animal which he bestrode. The ass +could not keep up such a pace while ascending the mountain. Gradually +his speed slackened, and Bob at length began to look about for a +soft place, where he could jump. + +But by this time the road entered what looked like a pass among +the mountains. On one side the hill rose, wooded in some places, +in others rocky; while on the other side it went down steep for +about thirty, feet, where a mountain torrent brawled, and dashed +over its rocky bed. It was about here that the ass slackened his +pace sufficiently for Bob to jump from his back; but just here +it was impossible to jump without the risk of breaking some of +his bones, and he was not yet quite desperate enough to run such +a risk as that. As the road went on through the pass, it grew +narrower and steeper, quite impassable for carriages, and Only +fit for travellers on horse or foot. The farther on it went, +the rougher and steeper it became, and it went on with many a +winding. No houses appeared, except at a great distance, and +those which did thus appear seemed separated by deep valleys +from the place where he was. + +Bob could have easily dismounted from the donkey now; but he +hesitated. He thought with some dismay upon the distance that lay +between him and the main road. He thought that his friends must +have passed beyond the place where he turned off, and that if he +did go back he could not hope to meet them. Besides, to go so long +a distance on foot was too formidable a task just now. He hoped +that the ass had some aim in directing his course here, and that +he was seeking his home. Perhaps that home was close by. Perhaps +it was some village in the mountains. If so, he might be able to +obtain a mount for Salerno, and still reach that place before +night was over. + +He hoped thug to find help--to get a horse or an ass, and also +something to eat, and thus set forth for Salerno. As the road wound +on, and as he traversed it, he looked eagerly at every projecting +cliff before him; and as he rounded each projection he still looked +forward eagerly in search of the place, whether house or village, +where he might obtain the help of which he stood in need. But the +road continued lonely. He saw no houses, no villages, in its +vicinity. He met with no living things, whether men or cattle. It +was the loneliest path he had ever traversed. + +At last he rounded a projecting spur of the mountain; and here +he beheld a scene which was more promising. A little distance +off there was a bridge, which crossed the torrent. Beyond this +the mountains sloped away in an easy declivity, where appeared +several houses. On the other side of the bridge were two men. +The sight filled Bob with joy, and fearing that the ass might +once more take it into his head to run, he at once leaped off +the animal's back, and walked towards the bridge. The ass, freed +from his weight, trotted briskly away, and Bob followed. The +noise of me ass trotting over the bridge roused the two men, and +they walked across and caught him. One of them then held him, +and the other walked towards Bob. + +As the latter approached, Bob noticed that he was dirty and bearded, +and rather shabby. He had a coarse jacket, with brass buttons; a +red flannel shirt, which was open, and disclosed a hairy breast; +and coarse leather breeches with leggings. A conical felt hat was +on the top of his head. Thusfar he was simply the counterpart of +hundreds of other peasants in this part of the country, shepherds, +drovers, wine-sellers, etc., such as he had encountered during his +drive. But in one important respect ne was different. + +He had a gun in his hand. + +This gun at once made him seem more than a simple peasant. It made +a profound impression upon Bob. And as the Italian approached, with +his eyes fixed on the new comer, a strange and very natural suspicion +was roused in Bob's mind. + +"It's a brigand!" he thought. "I'm lost!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +The Lurking-place of the Brigands.--The captive Boy.--The hideous +Household.--The horrible old Hag.--The slattern Woman.--The dirty +Children.--The old Crone and the evil Eye.--Despondency of Bob.--Is +Escape Possible?--Night.-Imprisoned.--The Bed of Straw.--Outlook +into the Night from the Prison Windows. + + +A brigand! + +Such was the appalling thought that came to the mind of Bob, as +the Italian advanced towards, him. As he came closer, his face +became more distinctly revealed. It was not a face which reassured +him. Heavy, shaggy black eyebrows, from beneath which gleamed black +and fiery eyes, a skin browned by the hot, Italian sun, and white +teeth, that glistened from behind a vast matted mass of tangled +beard and moustache,--such was the face that appeared. It seemed +an evil and sinister face--a face that revealed a cruel and +treacherous soul. No wonder that Bob's heart sank within him as he +saw himself confronted by one like this. + +The Italian stood looking at him with sharp and close scrutiny. +Then he said something. + +Bob could not understand him, and tried to explain by signs that +he had lost his way, and that the donkey had run away with him. He +also pointed to himself, and said, "Americano," and waved his hand +in the direction of the road up which he had come, and said, +"Salerno." This was very well for Bob, especially when his anxiety +of mind is taken into account, and his signs seemed intelligible +to the Italian. He looked at Bob carefully, and finally seemed to +make out an explanation of his appearance, which satisfied him, +after which he motioned to him to follow, and walked back towards +the bridge. Bob's first impulse was to rush away, and run as fast +as his legs could carry him; but the thought of the Italian's gun +checked the impulse, and he followed. + +Meanwhile, the other brigand, who had caught the ass, stood stroking +it and examining it. The animal seemed perfectly quiet and docile; +altogether a changed animal, different far from that wild beast +that had torn Bob away from all his friends, and thrown him here +among these dread associates. This other man had very much the same +general appearance as the first one. His beard was reddish, and +his eyes were smaller, the general expression of his face was more +sinister, as Bob thought, and though he had no gun, yet he seemed +none the less formidable. + +The two men stood talking together for some time. One of them seemed +to be narrating to the other Bob's account of himself, as he had +understood it from the signs that had been made. After this they +seemed to be discussing the subject of Bob and the ass, for they +looked at him and at the animal from time to time during their +conversation. At length they seemed to have made up their minds +about the subject, for they stopped talking; and motioning Bob to +follow, they walked away, leading the ass with them. + +Again a strong impulse rose in Bob's mind to fly; but again +the dread of being shot at prevented him. He therefore followed +as before. + +There was in this place a circular sweep of hills enclosing a +valley, through which the brook ran. Crossing this by a bridge, +the road wound along a gentle declivity, and not very far away were +one or two houses. One of these was two stories high, much +dilapidated, and looked as though it might once have been a wind-mill, +or something of that sort. It stood on the edge of the torrent, +and the door-way was towards the road. The other buildings seemed +to be barns of some sort, or sheep-folds. The grassy declivity +spread away till it reached a steeper ascent, and here there began +a forest which covered the mountain-sides. + +Towards this old mill Bob was led by his captors. As he drew near +he saw some dirty children at play, in front of the door-way. Soon +an old woman came out, followed by another, who was younger. The +old woman was a hideous old crone. Her hair was a matted gray mass, +her teeth were gone, and her face was pinched, and so seamed with +wrinkles, that she looked as though she might be over a hundred +years old. The other woman was very dirty and slatternly. She had +a dirty baby in her arms; her hair was in disorder, her face was +greasy and smouched, and a filthy cloth, which might once have been +white, was on her head. The women and children were all barefoot. +As Bob approached, they all stared at him with the most intense +curiosity; the two women stood still and stared; the children +stopped their play and stared; and there was something in the glow +and glitter of all these fiery, black, Italian eyes which seemed +horrible to poor Bob, and made his flesh fairly creep. + +The men then began to talk to the women, evidently explaining +about Bob and the ass; and as they talked the eyes of all of them +were most of the time fixed upon these two. As for the children, +they glared for a time with very evil looking faces at Bob; but +at length the ass seemed to offer superior attractions to them, +for they made a rush at it, climbed on its back, pulled at its +ears and tail, and tormented it in various ways. Strange to say, +this animal, that had punished poor Bob's little trick so fearfully, +showed no resentment whatever at his present treatment, but stood +there, no longer the fiery wild ass, but the very living image +of a patient donkey. + +Bob stood there looking upon the scene with his heart sinking within +him, yet by no means despairing. He had too high a spirit and too +stout a heart to give up so soon; and as he stood there, in the +power of this evil company, he turned over in his mind a hundred +different modes of escape. If he could once effect his escape from +these people, he might easily go back by the mountain path. But +how could he escape? That was the difficulty. Thus far, to his +amazement, they had not inflicted any cruelty upon him, nor had +they tied his hands; but that was, no doubt, owing to their contempt +for him, and their conviction that he would not venture to fly. +All that Bob had ever heard about the manners and customs of Italian +brigands now came to his mind--how they detain their prisoners +subject to a ransom, treating them well enough until the ransom +comes, but if it fails, then inflicting upon them the most horrible +cruelties. To Bob it now seemed certain that they intended to hold +him for ransom, and that they would treat him well till he should +be freed. As he felt certain about obtaining his ransom, he began +to feel less anxious, and his bold and enterprising spirit began +to conceive various ways by which he might baffle the brigands. + +At length one of the men went off, and the younger of the women +went into the house. The brigand with the gun remained, and talked +for a little while with the old woman. It was evident to Bob, by +the glances which they threw at him, that he was the subject of +their conversation. To him the old woman was by far the most +obnoxious of the whole crowd. The slatternly woman, the dirty, +impish children, the brigands,--all these were bad enough; but the +old woman was far worse to his imagination. There was in her watery +eyes, in the innumerable wrinkles of her leathery skin, in her +toothless jaws, something so uncanny that he almost shuddered. She +reminded him of some of those witches of whom he had read, who, in +former and more superstitious ages, were supposed to have dealings +with the evil one, and whose looks certainly sustained such a +supposition. To Bob, at that time, it seemed that if ever any one +did in reality have dealings with the evil one, that one was the +old hag behind him. To him she seemed a witch; he thought of her +as a witch; and if she had at that time put on a peaked hat, +straddled a broomstick, and flown off through the air, it would +scarcely have surprised him. + +At length the brigand went off, and the old woman came up to Bob. +At her approach Bob involuntarily shrank back a step or two. The +old hag fixed her small, watery eyes on him, mumbled with her +toothless jaws, and after a few efforts croaked out something in +Italian, followed by some gestures with her hands, which Bob +understood to convey a general assurance of safety. For this he +was prepared, since his mind was now fixed upon the idea that he +would be kept for a ransom. Then the old woman came nearer, and +put one of her thin, bony, shrivelled hands on his shoulder. The +touch was like the touch of a skeleton, and suggested horrible +thoughts to poor Bob. A thrill of disgust and terror shot through +him; but he stood it, for he did not like to show his disgust, for +fear of offending his hideous companion. The old woman, then standing +before him with her hand on his shoulder, looked at him for a long +time in silence. Bob looked back at her, and it seemed to him that +he had never seen in all his life, such a hideous face. The wrinkles +were now more plainly visible, the jaws seemed to be more retreating, +the cheeks were sunken, the cheek-bones projecting, the eyes, small +and weak, showed tears that slowly trickled down. + +Suddenly the old hag gave a low groan, which Bob attributed to some +pain or other, and turned away. He noticed that she was trembling, +and thought it was the weakness of her extreme old age. He was +puzzled by these movements of hers, and felt sure that they meant +no good. After a few minutes she, turned again, and beckoned to +him to follow. She led the way into the house. On reaching the +door Bob hesitated, and stood without looking in. He saw a large +apartment occupying all the lower story of the old mill, with some +rude seats and rough beds. A long ladder led up to the upper story. +The old woman beckoned for him to come in, and Bob did not like to +refuse. So he went in. She then brought forth some cold mutton and +black bread, which she offered him. Bob was ravenously hungry; but +at that moment an idea came to him--a suspicion that was created +by the very sinister aspect and very singular behavior of the old +crone. The suspicion was, that it was drugged or poisoned. This +suspicion was not at all in accordance with the idea that they were +keeping him for a ransom, but it was an irrepressible one, and +though hungry, he did not dare to eat. So he shook his head. Upon +this the old hag took the things away, and Bob went out again. + +The dirty children had been playing with the donkey all this +time, and still kept up their sport but in the midst of their +sport they still had curiosity enough to keep their eyes from +time to time upon the strange boy who had come thus suddenly into +their midst. The furtive, sinister glances of their wicked black +eyes had something uncanny in them, which made Bob feel more +uncomfortable than ever. He took a seat upon a stone in front of +the house, on one side of the door-way, and looked all around. +The mountains arose there, rising first gently in an easy acclivity, +and then sweeping up with a greater incline. Their sides, and +even their summits, were here all covered with forests. On the +left he could see the bridge over which the road passed--the road +that led to safety. Could he but escape for a few moments from +the eyes of his jailers, he might be saved. And why not? Two +women, and some dirty children--why should he care for such guards +as these? One rush, one leap, and he would be free. Willingly +would he walk all the way to Salerno. Anything would be welcome +after such a captivity as this. + +But Bob was doomed to disappointment; for just as he had made up +his mind to fly, just as he was looking all around to see if the +coast was clear, he saw, to his deep distress, the two brigands +approaching from the outhouse. They were carrying something which, +on nearer approach, turned out to be a sheep, which they had just +killed. Of course all thoughts of flight now departed, and Bob +could only deplore his own stupidity in allowing that one chance +of escape to pass away. + +After this they began to boil portions of the sheep in a pot; and +soon the savory odor of a stew filled the room, and came to Bob's +nostrils. As he was half starving, the delicious odor excited the +utmost longing to taste it, and he at once began to feel rather +satisfied that he had not fled. He felt that a flight after dinner +would be far better. In due time the dinner was ready. It was a +stew,--mutton, with vegetables, cooked deliciously,--and Bob's +hunger was so great that if it had been worse cooked it would have +been a banquet. He had no fears of poison, no suspicions of drugging, +for the whole family prepared to partake' of the repast--the two +brigands, the old hag, the slatternly woman, and the dirty children. +The stew was poured out into a huge wooden platter; they used no +plates, but dipped with their fingers. The sight awakened a little +disgust in Bob, but he was too hungry to be squeamish, and he +succeeded in picking out various morsels which had not been touched +by the dirty hands of his companions. + +During the repast Bob noticed that they all kept looking, from time +to time, at him, and their furtive glances met his eyes whenever +he turned them. The old woman sometimes seemed to devour him with +a greedy, hungry sort of gaze, that was very horrible. It was an +ogrish look, and Bob's appetite was somewhat checked by the horror +that he found in her eyes, and he was unable to have that free play +with the repast which he might otherwise have had. + +After the repast Bob once more went outside, hoping now to have +the opportunity which he had missed before. The dirty children went +outside too. The two brigands followed, and occupied themselves +with various employments. Escape from such surroundings as these +was impossible. At length one of the brigands mounted the ass, +and rode away down the road by which he had come. This circumstance +seemed suspicious to Bob at first, but afterwards he thought that +perhaps he had gone to Salerno to get the ransom. + +After this, darkness came on so suddenly that he was amazed. He +had already noticed that the twilight in Italy was very much less +than that to which he had been accustomed at home, but had never +been so impressed by it as now. There seemed but a minute Between +day and night It was quite bright, and then in a wonderfully short +time it became dark. + +Upon this they all entered the house. Bob had to go with the rest. +The room was feebly illuminated by a small oil lamp. Bob noticed +that they fastened the door with a huge chain. The fastening of +that door was ominous to him, and the clanking of that chain smote +him to the heart, and echoed drearily within his soul. It seemed +to him now like real imprisonment, shut in here with chains and +bars, within this stone prison. + +Soon they all prepared to retire; and the brigand who had first +met Bob beckoned to him, and taking the lamp, climbed the ladder +to the upper story. Bob followed him. The upper story was about +eighteen feet above the lower one. On reaching it, Bob saw that it +was all one apartment. There was no bed here, or bedding, or +furniture of any description whatever. Sheep-skins hung from the +rafters, and dried mutton, and some vegetables. In one corner was +a pile of straw. To this the brigand pointed, and Bob went over +there. He understood that he was to pass the night on this pile of +straw. Once more Bob looked all around as he stood there by the +straw. He saw the farther end of the room in dark shadows; he saw +the articles hanging from the rafters. He noticed, also, that +there were two windows, one in front and the other in the rear. In +these windows there were no sashes. They were open to the night +air. One glance sufficed to show him this. + +The brigand now said something which Bob supposed to mean good +night, so he very civilly said the same in English. The brigand +grinned, and then descended the ladder, taking the lamp with him. + +On his departure, Bob's first act was to take off his boots. He +then felt his way along the wall to the front window, for it was +so intensely dark inside and outside, that not a thing was visible. +Reaching the window, he put his head out and looked down. He could +see nothing. All was the very blackness of darkness. He looked up +to the sky. All there was blackness also and darkness. Then he +looked down again. If he had only some means of getting down, he +could venture the descent; but he had nothing. There were no sheets +here for him to tie together; he could not make a rope out of that +straw strong enough to bear his weight. To jump down was not to be +thought of, for he knew very well that at least twenty feet separated +him from the ground. + +He turned away from the window in despair, and groping his way back +to his rude bed, he sat upon the straw, and gave himself up to his +gloomy and despondent thoughts. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_The worn-out Captive.--Light Slumbers.--Fearful Wakening.--The +stealthy Step.--The overmastering. Horror.--The lone Boy confronted +by his Enemy.--The hungry Eyes.--Is it real, or a Nightmare?--The +supreme Moment._ + + +The darkness of the night and the impossibility of escape filled +Bob with the most gloomy and distressing thoughts, which at first +quite Overcame him. But at length other thoughts came, which were +of a less distressing character. His mind once more reverted to +the idea that he was held for ransom, and that for the present, at +least, he was in safety; and not only so, but well cared for. These +people certainly had given him of their best. They had made him +share at the common meal, and though this bed of straw was not very +elegant, it was at least comfortable, and was no worse than they +themselves used to sleep upon. + +He flung himself down upon the straw, and found that it was a +soft and a refreshing couch. Far better was this fresh straw +than any formal bed could have been, for in such a house as that, +a mattress or a bed would certainly have been hideous thing, as +dirty, as greasy, and as squalid as the people of the house. On +the whole, Bob was pleased with his bed of straw, and with its +clean, fresh smell. + +Escape being thus cut off for the present, Bob's frame of mind grew +more placid. As long as he entertained the idea of immediate flight, +his mind was constantly on the strain; but now, when that idea had +been dismissed, he grew calmer, and thought over his circumstances +with more deliberation. He remembered that one of the brigands +had already gone away, and, as he supposed, to Salerno. If so, he +would, no doubt, either see his friends, or at least hear from +them, some time on the following day. + +The more he considered his situation, the more free from all +immediate danger did it seem, and the more did his hopes increase. +He looked forward with eager hope, to the following day. That would, +without doubt, bring him news of his friends, or, perhaps, restore +him to liberty. Under the pleasant influence of thoughts like these, +his mind grew more calm and cheerful every moment, and passed into +a state of tranquil contentment Besides, he was tired, and his +weariness brought on drowsiness. As long as his excitement lasted, +he could not feel the drowsiness; but now, as calmness returned, +the weariness and sleepiness became stronger, and by degrees +overpowered him. + +Gradually the thoughts of his mind became intermingled with the +fancies of dreams, and blended the realities around him with things +at a distance. All was still, outside and inside. No sound whatever +arose from below. The family seemed all asleep. At last Bob dozed +off also, and passed into the land of dreams. + +His sleep was not heavy. Many things conspired to keep his senses +somewhat on the alert even in that slumber of his, and he was in +that condition which is called sleeping with one eye open. The fact +is, the extraordinary excitement of his donkey ride, and especially +of his last adventure in thus falling into captivity, had so roused +his faculties, so affected his nerves, and so sharpened his senses, +that even in his sleep there still predominated the thoughts and +the purposes of his waking hours. + +In this state he remained for some time, sleeping, yet vigilant, +the body gaining rest and refreshment, but the wary soul on the +alert, as though to guard against danger. + +How long this sleep continued, whether minutes or hours, Bob could +never afterwards remember; but with a sudden shock through all his +nerves, he opened his eyes. He was lying, as he had flung himself +on the straw, on his back, with his head elevated against a bundle +of straw, in such a way that he could see the length of the room. + +It was a noise that he heard. He listened breathlessly, and looked +with all his eyes. + +Around him all was dark. It might be near morning, or it might be +early night; he could not tell. All was still, outside and inside--the +blackness of darkness and the stillness of death. + +Yet now, in the midst of that black darkness and that deathly +stillness, he became aware, of a sight and a sound. + +It was a low, creaking sound, which was repeated at short intervals, +accompanied by a sliding, shuffling noise. It sounded in the +direction of the opening by which the ladder led up from below. +Looking there, he saw a ray of light, faint and flickering, yet +visible enough in that deep darkness; and as the grating, shuffling +sounds succeeded one another at regular intervals, even so did the +faint, flickering ray of light grow brighter and brighter. + +As Bob looked at this and took it all in, one thought came to him +in an instant,-- + +_Somebody was coming up the ladder!_ + +The thought went through him with a pang. + +Somebody is coming up the ladder! + +Who? + +What for? + +That mysterious somebody was coming slowly and stealthily. It was +the tread of one who wished to come unobserved. + +On waking out of sleep suddenly, the mind is often confused; but +when, after such a sudden awakening, it is confronted by some +horrible presence, the shock is sometimes too great to be endured. +So was it with Bob at this time. His awaking had been sudden; and +the horror that he found in the object that now presented itself +was, that the shuffling sound that arose from the ladder was the +step of Doom,--and the mysterious visitant was stealing towards +him to make him its prey. There arose within him an awful +anticipation. His eyes fixed themselves upon the place where the +light was shining; all his soul awaited, in dreadful expectation, +the appearance of the mysterious visitor, and as the stealthy step +drew nearer and nearer, the excitement grew stronger, and more +painful, and more racking. + +At length the figure began to emerge above the opening. + +Bob's eyes were fixed upon the place. + +He saw first the light. It emerged above the opening--an old oil-lamp +held in a bony, grisly, skinny hand. Then followed an arm. + +Bob's excitement was now terrible. His heart beat with wild throbs. +His whole frame seemed to vibrate under that pulsation which was +almost like a convulsion. + +The arm rose higher! Higher still! + +_It_ was coming! + +There arose a matted shock of greasy, gray hair. The light shone +down upon it as it was upheld in the bony hand. The hair came tip, +and then, gradually, a face. + +That face was pale as ashes; it was lean and shrivelled; the cheeks +were sunken; the cheek bones projected; and a million wrinkles were +carved upon the deep-seamed brow and corrugated cheeks. Over that +hideous face the gray hair wandered. Bob's blood seemed to freeze +within his veins. The old fable tells of the Gorgon, whose face +inspired such horror that the beholder stiffened into stone. So +here. Bob beheld a Gorgon face. He felt petrified with utter horror! + +As the face came up it was turned towards him. It emerged higher +and higher, and at length stopped about a foot above the opening. +Here it fixed its gaze upon Bob, bending itself forward, and holding +forth the light as far as possible, so that it might light up the +room, and peering through the gloom so as to see where Bob was. + +There seemed something indescribably evil, malignant, and cruel, +in those bleary eyes which thus sought Bob out, fastened themselves +upon him, and seemed to devour him with their gaze. There was a +hideous eagerness in her look. There was a horrible fascination +about it,--such as the serpent exerts over the bird. And as the +bird, while under the spell of the serpent's eye, seems to lose +all power of flight, and falls a victim to the destroyer, so +here, at this time, Bob felt paralyzed at that basilisk glance, +and lost all power of motion. He could not speak. He tried to +scream. No cry came. He was dumb with horror. He was like one in +a nightmare; but this was a waking night-mare, and not the fanciful +terrors of dreamland. + +But the horror was too great to be endured. He closed his eyes +tight, and thus shut out the sight. + +But though he shut out the sight, he could not shut oat sound; and +soon he became aware of something which brought a fresh terror over +his soul. + +It was a stealthy step. + +It was advancing towards, him. + +Slow, cautious, cunning, yet steady, and nearer and still nearer, +came the awful step! Bob opened his eyes, to assure himself once +more of the worst. He opened them by a resistless impulse. + +The figure was now half way between the opening and the bed. The +old hag stood now fully revealed. Her bleary eyes were fixed on +Bob. One hand upheld the flickering lamp, and in the other was a +sharp weapon. + +Bob closed his eyes in an anguish of horror. He was dumb. He could +utter no cry. He could not move. The blow was coming. The destroyer +was here, yet he could not make one motion to ward off that blow. +His brain whirled, his heart seemed to stop beating. + +There was a terrible moment of dumb, motionless, breathless +expectancy. + +The old woman knelt by his side. + +She put the lamp on the floor. + +Then she reached out one of her long, lean, bony, skinny, shrivelled +hands, and took Bob by the hair of his head, while with the other +she raised her sharp weapon. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_The Cavalcade in Pursuit.--Hopes and Fears.--Theories about the +lost Boy.--A new Turn to Affairs.--Explanations.--On to +Salerno.--Inquiries.--Baffled.--Fresh Consternation and +Despondency.--The last Hope._ + + +Meanwhile the party on donkeys trotted along the road after Bob. +At the exclamation from the donkey boy they had all experienced a +shock; but soon they recovered from it, and the shock only served +as a stimulus to make them push the donkeys onward more rapidly. +They rode on for some time without making any remarks, each one +looking eagerly forward to see if Bob might reappear; but he had +vanished behind a turn in the road, and as they advanced, there +were other turns to be encountered, and so they were unable to see +him. This began to create uneasiness. At first they all had hoped +that Bob would be able to stop the ass, or that the animal, after +indulging his paces for a short time, would stop of his own accord; +but the farther they went, the more they became convinced that this +affair had something serious in it. + +At length they reached that long, straight piece of road already +mentioned. At one end of this was a rising ground; as they ascended +this and reached its summit, they looked ahead, and there, far away +before them, was a single rider. They recognized Bob at once. He +was more than a mile away; but the sight of him filled them all +with joy, and they at once stimulated their donkeys to greater +exertions. In spite of the distance that intervened, they all +shouted as loud as they could; but of course the distance was too +great, and their cries were lost before they reached nearly as far +away as Bob. In a short time he turned in the road, and passed out +of sight. + +They now rode on for a long time, and at length came to the road +that led to the mountains, up which Bob had gone. This road was +not even noticed by them. They had passed other roads of the same +kind, which, like this one, led to the mountains, and attached no +more importance to this than to those. In the minds of some of +them, however, these side-roads suggested a fear, that Bob's ass +might have turned off into some one of them; but of course, as they +were all alike, they could not conjecture which one would have been +taken by the runaway. As they rode on, they still looked ahead. At +every turn in the road they still expected to see the fugitive; +and it was not until the donkeys themselves gave signs of fatigue, +that they were willing to slacken their pace. But the nature of +these donkeys was, after all, but mortal; like other mortal things, +they were subject to weakness and fatigue; and as they were now +exhausted, their riders were compelled to indulge them with a +breathing space, and so they slackened their pace to a walk. + +And now they all began to consider the probabilities of Bob's +fortunes. + +"I'm afraid something's happened," said Clive. "Perhaps he's been +thrown." + +"Thrown?" cried Frank, cheerily. "Why, if so, we would have found +him long ago. But the idea of Bob being thrown from any animal that +ever lived is simply absurd. Hell stick to that donkey as long as +the donkey runs." + +"It seems to me," said David,--who was a very thoughtful and +observant boy,--"it seems to me that the donkey may have taken some +of those roads that go off to the mountains." + +"Pooh!" said Frank. "Why should the donkey take the trouble to do +anything of that sort? A runaway animal don't generally indulge in +freaks of that kind. He generally goes it blind, and runs straight +ahead along the road that happens to be before him." + +"But perhaps he lives among the mountains," said David, "and, in +that case, he would merely be running home." + +"I don't believe that," said Frank. "I hold that it requires some +thought for an ordinary donkey to quit the high road, and take one +of those by-roads." + +"Not if a by-road leads to his home." + +"But how could his home be there," objected Frank, "when we found +him away down there near Paestum?" + +"Easily enough," said David. "I dare say they were going home at +the very time we came up with them." + +"I wish we could ask the boy about it," said Clive. "He could tell +as just what we want to know." + +"Yes," said Frank; "but, unfortunately, we couldn't understand all +of it." + +David heaved a sigh. + +"How I wish," he exclaimed, "that I had studied Italian before I +came! But from this time forth, I'm determined not to rest till +I've learned the language." + +Uncle Moses was deeply distressed at Bob's disappearance. He had +only one idea in his mind. He told the other boys what it was. It +was the idea of brigands. They had met poor Bob; they had seized +him, and had carried him off to their lurking-places in the mountains. +Even now he was in captivity. And the heart of Uncle Moses yearned +over the poor prisoner. He expressed these fears in a few words, +for he was too agitated to say much. + +Clive and David both shook their heads over this, and thought there +was something in it. Both of them now thought that Bob might have +been carried by his donkey to the mountains; and, if so, his capture +by brigands would be almost certain. To them, these mountains +seemed to be full of them; the whole population, in their opinion, +was a community of brigands. + +Clive had also another idea. It was this. The driver had deserted +them and had gone off vowing vengeance. He had gone to the mountains, +and returned with a band of brigands to capture all of them. They +had met Bob, seized him, and taken him off. + +At all this Frank laughed. + +"Pooh!" said he. "I don't see why you should go out of your way to +torment yourselves about nothing at all. It all seems plain enough +to me. The donkey has run off, and intends to keep running till he +drops. There's a long, straight, smooth road before him, and he'll +stick to that without bothering his head about by-roads or mountains. +And if he's obstinate enough, I don't see why he shouldn't keep on +running till he gets to Salerno. And it's my opinion, if we don't +pick him up on the road, well find him at Salerno when we get there." + +"O, that's all very well," said Clive, "but think how certain you +were about the driver--" + +He was interrupted by the sound of galloping horses and rolling +wheels. The sound came from behind. At once they all turned their +heads. Emerging from behind a torn in the road, they saw two horses +galloping at full speed, and drawing a carriage. The driver was +whipping the horses furiously, and calling and shouting. The carriage +was empty. In a moment they recognized the truth. It was their +carriage and their driver. + +They all stood still, and looked in surprise, and the carriage +rolled swiftly up. The driver at once stopped the horses, and jumped +to the ground. Then, coming to the boys, he burst forth into a +strain of the most profuse and vehement apologies. He implored +them to forgive him, and began to explain the cause of his absence +from the place where they had left him. + +It seems that he found this place an inconvenient one, and had +driven across the fields for about half, a mile, to some trees. +Here he had taken his horses out, and allowed them to feed. He +himself lay down in the carriage, and took a _siesta_. He +overslept himself. On awaking, he was horrified to find how much +time had passed, and at once proceeded to search for the horses. +But during his sleep they had both wandered off, and could not +be found until after a long search. When at length he was ready, +and had driven back, he found to his horror that they were not +there. Thinking that they were still among the ruins, he had gone +over the whole place, which took up still more time. At last he +saw that they must have left. He at once drove off. Knowing that +they were on foot, he expected every minute to catch sight of +them. He drove on for miles without seeing any trace of them, +and at length came to the conclusion that they had, perhaps, +found the carriage of some other visitors, and had obtained seats +in that. He knew that they must have gone, and could only account +in that way for their rapid progress. + +This explanation of the driver was perfectly satisfactory to them +all, and their joy at getting the carriage again was so great that +they excused his unfortunate slumbers. The driver also, on his +part, had now forgotten all about his sulks, and was the same genial +and companionable soul as before. On learning about Bob's mishap, +he at once assured them that the donkey must have run along the +road, and that they would undoubtedly soon catch up with him. So +the whole party got into the carriage, the driver whipped up the +horses, and away they went towards Salerno. + +Mile after mile was traversed. + +Still there were no signs of Bob, + +"Something's happened," said Clive. + +"He's been carried to the mountains," said David. + +"It's the brigands!" groaned Uncle Moses. + +"O, it's all right," said Frank, confidently. "That donkey's a +regular race-horse. We'll find him at Salerno." + +At length they reached Salerno. They drove up to the hotel. + +No signs of Bob! + +Hurrying in, they made inquiries, and found that he had not come. +This filled them all with the greatest concern; and the driver, +and the landlord, and all others who heard of it, asserted that +he must have been carried to the mountains. It was now dark. +Nothing more could be done; and so they could only resolve to +drive back on the following day, and make a more careful search +after the lost boy. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_The captive Boy and his grisly Visitant.--The Hand on his +Head.--Denouement.--The Brigand Family.--The old Crone.--The Robber +Wife.--The Brigand Children.--A Revolution of Feeling.--The main +Road.--The Carriage.--In Search of Bob._ + + +Paralyzed with terror, dumb with horror, Bob lay motionless and +almost breathless; and the grisly old hag reached out her long, +lean, thin, bony, withered, shrivelled hand, and took his hair, +while with the other hand she raised her sharp weapon. + +She took his hair very lightly and tenderly; so lightly, indeed, +that Bob was just conscious of her touch; and though he expected +that he would be torn from his bed and struck dead the next instant, +yet this fate was delayed. + +She took his hair then in her hand very gently and tenderly, and +in her other hand she raised the sharp weapon. + +Now, the sharp weapon was a pair of sheep-shears. + +These shears she held forward, and with them she snipped off, as +noiselessly as possible, a lock of Bob's hair. + +She pressed the lock of hair to her thin lips, looked at it +steadfastly for some time, pressed it once more to her lips, and +then put it in the folds of her dress. + +Then kneeling by Bob's side, she looked at him long and earnestly. +She bent over him, and looked down upon him. She laid the shears +upon the floor, clasped her withered hands together, and gazed upon +the boy. He lay still. His eyes were closed; but the delay of his +fate and the snip of the shears in his hair bad roused him somewhat +from his abyss of terror. He opened his eyes wide enough to see +what was going on. He could not see the old woman's face, but he +saw her kneeling, and he saw her thin hands clasped before her, +like one in prayer, and tremulous. + +The old woman bent over him; and if Bob could have seen her face +he would have known that this old creature was an object of any +other feeling rather than fear. Pale it was, that face that was +over him, and wrinkled, and emaciated; but there was upon it a +softened expression--an expression of yearning and of longing. +That which at a distance had seemed to his frightened fancy a +hungry, ghoulish look, was now nothing more than the earnest, +fixed gaze of a love that longed to be satisfied--a gaze like +that of a bereaved mother who sees some one who reminds her of +her lost boy, and looks at him with a look of unutterable yearning. +So, now, it was with this poor old decrepit creature. Perhaps in +her past life some son had been torn from her, of whom Bob reminded +her, and she had come now to feast herself with his face, which +reminded her of her lost boy, to take a lock of his hair, to bow +down over him in speechless emotion. Here, then, she knelt, her +poor hands clasping each other tremulously, her aged breast +heaving with repressed sighs, while from her weak eyes there fell +tears which dropped upon the face of the boy. + +Those tears had a wonderful effect. + +As Bob's half-opened eyes saw the old woman's attitude, his grisly +terror left him; his heart regained its ordinary pulsation; the +tremendous pressure that had been upon his soul was removed; warm, +and fresh, and free, his young blood sped through his veins, and +all his frame was quickened to a bounding life and vigor. By the +force of this reaction he was roused from his stony lethargy, his +paralysis of horror, and his presence of mind was restored. Then +there came those tears which fell upon his face. This completed +the recovery of his self-command. It did more. It assured him that +he was an object, not of murderous fury, but of tender love, and +that the one whom he had feared had come, not with purposes of +cruelty, but with yearnings of affection. Why this should be he +knew not; he was content to know that it was so; and in this +knowledge all fear died out. Bat even now he felt somewhat +embarrassed, for the old woman was evidently only giving way to +her emotion because she believed him to be asleep; and thus he was +an unwilling witness of feelings which she supposed to be seen by +none. In this there seemed to be something dishonorable, and he wished +the scene to end. He chose to do so therefore by making a few movements +without opening his eyes; that is, he changed his position several +times, turned himself over and back again, and thus gave signs of +waking. Upon this the old woman silently took her lamp and shears, +and left the apartment by the way she had come. + +So ended the adventure. + +The effect produced upon Bob was a varied one. He still felt the +consequences of that horror into which he had fallen, that spasm +and convulsion of terror which had seemed to turn him to stone, +yet the relief that had been found was inexpressibly sweet. In +spite of the pain which still lingered about his heart, there came +a calmer and happier frame of mind; the pain itself also gradually +died out, and its only result was a general languor. So commonplace +a termination to what seemed a terrible event made his whole +situation and his other prospects seem commonplace, and he even +began to think that his captors might turn out to be as commonplace +as the old woman. + +He fell again into a deep sleep, and did not wake till it was broad +day. On descending, the people all respectfully bade him good +morning. Breakfast was ready, consisting of black bread, stew, +and some coffee. Outside, the view was superb; the rising sun had +not yet ascended high enough to shine down into the valley, but +the glowing heavens, and the shadows of the mountains, and the +light green of the little space nearest, with the darker green of +the forests that clothed the mountain-sides, all made the spectacle +a memorable one. + +Bob's whole state of mind was more healthy, and cheerful, and +hopeful than it had been. Everything appeared bright and favorable. +The old woman, as he looked at her this morning, did not seem to +be at all repulsive. Her face was shrivelled, it is true, and her +eyes were weak; but she looked gentle and mild, and treated him +with very great favor and attention. The slatternly woman did not +seem worse than any other Italian peasant woman. The children were +dirty, no doubt; in fact, very dirty; but then they were brown, +and healthy, and merry, not inclined to mischief, and quite respectful +to him. In short, Bob found himself surveying his situation and +its surroundings with much complacency, and he began to feel that +he had misjudged these people altogether the night before. + +But other things were yet in store which were to redeem still more +the character of these people. He was standing outside the house +after breakfast, when, to his surprise, he saw the second "brigand" +approach. He knew that he had not had time to go to Salerno and +return; so he saw that he could not have been to Salerno at all. +He seemed to Bob to be going there now, for he was mounted on a +donkey, and led another by the bridle. The one which he led was no +other than the ass which had carried Bob to this place. + +Bob's only thought at seeing this was, that the "brigand" was now +setting forth for Salerno, and was about to take the donkey with +him, either to sell it, or to return it to the owner, and get a +reward. But this idea was not left long in his mind. + +The first "brigand" came out, and the two men talked to one another, +after which they turned to Bob, and the first brigand explained to +him that he was to mount the donkey. He pointed to the animal, +smiled, waved his hand towards the road by which Bob had come, and +uttered the word "Salerno." + +Bob's heart gave a wild leap; he could scarcely believe what he +heard; but the faces of the two men were smiling, and they continued +to nod, and gesticulate, and repeat the word "Salerno." They looked +like two benevolent farmers, and Bob wondered how he could ever +have seen anything malignant in their very good natured faces. + +Of course there was nothing to do now but to hurry away to his +friends. Yet Bob was not willing to take too abrupt a leave. He +remembered the old woman, and thought with a softened heart about +her emotion. He went back into the house, and shook hands with her +for good by. He even knew enough Italian to say "_Addio_." The old +creature was much softened and burst into tears. Bob gave her one +of his cuff-buttons as a souvenir, for he had nothing else to give, +and the cuff-button was an uncommonly elaborate affair; and he had +the satisfaction of seeing that the old woman took it as though it +was of inestimable value. He then went around among them all, shook +hands with all of them, from the slatternly woman down to the +smallest of the dirty children, and gave each one of them +something--to the woman, a pencil case; to one child, his pocket +knife; to another, a watch key; to a third, a shirt stud; to a +fourth, a memorandum book; and to the fifth, a handkerchief. + +"Brigand" number two was going to accompany him, and it was now +evident to Bob that the delay which had taken place in his +restoration to his friends was probably owing to the fact that +they had to wait to procure bridles, or another donkey. It only +remained for him now to bid good by to "brigand" number one, +which he did with great earnestness, and cordiality, and fervor; +presenting him at the same time with his neck-tie, a very brilliant +piece of satin, which the Italian received with a great flourish, +and profuse expressions of thankfulness. Bob had several times +regretted his ignorance of the Italian language since his arrival +in the country, but never had his regrets been more sincere than +on this occasion. Had he been able to speak Italian he would have +made a speech then and there, and have invited them all, from +the old woman down to the smallest child, to come and visit him +and his friends either at Salerno, or at Naples, or in far-off +America. But alas! Bob's tongue was tied, and so the invitation +remained unuttered. He did what he could, however, and utterly +exhausted the whole language of signs in the attempt to express +to them his thanks, and his good wishes for their happiness. +The simple people seemed to comprehend him, for they were by no +means dull, and gesticulated in return many things which seemed +to convey the same meaning; and when at last Bob rode away, the +humble inhabitants watched him until he passed out of sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_The Return.--The tender Adieus.--Back to Salerno.--On to +Castellamare.--A pleasant Scene.--An unpleasant Discovery.--David +among the Missing.--Woes of Uncle Moses.--Deliberations over the +Situation.--Various Theories.--The Vengeance of the Enemy.--Back +to Sorrento in Search of the lost One._ + + +Returning to the main road with his guide, Bob traversed the same +way by which his donkey had carried him on the preceding day. +His progress now was very different. It would not do to dash +furiously down the narrow and steep mountain pathway; so they +had to go at a slow pace, until they reached the plain. Bob's +animal also had changed. He was no longer the fiery, wild ass of +the day before, which had borne him helplessly away from his +friends, but a tractable animal, with sufficient spirit, it is +true, yet with all the signs of subordination and obedience. He +obeyed the slightest touch of the bridle, and moved along after +the rider in front of him, as quietly as though he was the most +patient and gentle of the donkey tribe. + +In two or three hours' time they reached the main road, and turning +to the right, rode towards Salerno. Thus far Bob had not noticed +much of his surroundings, but now his eyes gazed most eagerly upon +the road ahead of him, for he expected to meet his friends. He +rightly supposed that they would have driven to Salerno on the +preceding day, hoping to find him there, and that they would drive +back in search of him at the earliest dawn of another day. + +Bob's conjecture turned out to be rights He had not ridden more +than a mile when he saw a carriage approaching, which he soon +recognized as belonging to his party. In it were his friends, who +had recognized him as soon as they had caught sight of him, and +whose joy at meeting with him again, and amazement at the sight of +his companion, knew no bounds. The carriage stopped, and the boys +flung themselves out, and tore Bob from the back of the donkey, +and hugged him, and hustled him, and danced about him in their joy. +Uncle Moses was not so quick as the others, and held back. Bat if +his greeting was last, it was not least fervent, as Bob well knew +by the moistened eye, the quivering lip, the tremulous voice, and +the convulsive grasp of that venerable relative. + +Then and there, on the road, Bob had to satisfy the hungry +curiosity of his friends, and give them some sort of an outline +of his adventures. The particulars he reserved until a future +occasion. Bob's account of his friends in the mountains at once +roused the enthusiastic interest of the whole party in their +favor, and they all proceeded to shake hands with the Italian. +Nor did they content themselves with this, for on the spot Uncle +Moses and the boys made up a handsome purse, which they presented +to him, not because he deserved it, exactly, but partly because +they were so rejoiced at finding the lost boy, and partly on +account of Bob's urgent appeal to them. For now Bob's sentiments +about the humble people in the sequestered valley had undergone +the last phase which was necessary to complete a perfect revolution +of feeling; and he had come to regard them not by any means as +brigands,--far from it,--but rather as a family of peaceful, +innocent, harmless, affectionate, quiet, benevolent, warm-hearted, +good-natured, hospitable, and virtuous peasants. + +The Italian received the gifts with a series of gesticulations, +by which he seemed to be invoking the blessing of Heaven upon +them, and vowing endless gratitude; and after the boys and Uncle +Moses had one by one shaken hands and bidden him good by, he +still stood there, smiling, bowing, and gesticulating; and as +they drove away, they saw him standing motionless in the road +till they passed out of sight. + +Bob's adventures had not been without some serious consequences, +for the strain on his mind during the previous day, and especially +the horror of the night, combined with the fatigues to which he +had been subjected, had been somewhat too much for him. As soon, +therefore, as the first excitement of the joyous meeting was over, +a reaction took place, and he complained of utter weariness and +exhaustion. As Bob was a boy who never complained except under sore +pressure, the boys perceived that he was now in need of quiet and +repose, and therefore tried to put a check upon their eager curiosity. +On reaching Salerno, they put up at the hotel again, and gave Bob +the opportunity of a long rest. Had it not been for Bob's adventure, +they would by this time have been back in Naples; for their intention +had been to go on from Paestum without stopping; but now they were +forced to delay somewhat. Still they were anxious to resume the +journey back, and as Bob seemed refreshed after a rest and a good +repast, Uncle Moses thought they had better set out and go as far +as they could before dark. The driver mentioned Castellamare as a +convenient stopping-place, and it was thereupon decided to drive +on as far as that place, and pass the night there. + +They had passed through Castellamare before, when on their way to +Sorrento, and again, when returning from that place, on their way +to Salerno, so that it seemed quite familiar. But on quitting the +carriage and looking out from the windows of the hotel, they were +surprised to find how much the beauty of the place was enhanced by +this new outlook. Before, they looked at it as hasty travellers, +snatching a passing glance; but now they could take a leisurely +survey. Before them was the Bay of Naples; on the right, the city +with its suburbs, extending far along the shore; on the left, the +isle of Capri; in front, the shores of Baiae; while in the rear +was the verdant landscape, with a background of mountains, over +which reigned supreme the gigantic form of Vesuvius, from whose +summit was still floating the wrathful smoke cloud. + +It was decided to pass the night here, and go on to Naples early +on the following day. All the party were tired and went to rest at +an early hour. The night was calm, and beautiful, and bright; and +as they went to sleep, they were lulled by the plash of the waters +as they gently rippled upon the pebbled beach. + +Frank arose pretty early on the following morning, and found that +David was already up, and had gone forth. The others were still +asleep. Frank thereupon went forth for a walk, and one by one +the others awaked also. They had ordered breakfast at an early +hour, and they were to start immediately after. When Uncle Moses +went down stairs he found breakfast ready, and departed to hunt +up the boys. He found Frank, and Clive, and Bob, watching the +driver groom the horses. + +"Boys," said Uncle Moses, "breakfast's ready." + +"All right, sir," said Frank; "we'll be along." + +Upon this Uncle Moses went back, and after a few moments Frank, +and Clive, and Bob entered. + +"Where's David?" asked Uncle Moses. + +"I don't know, sir." + +"Well," said Uncle Moses, "I suppose he'll be along; so let's sit +down and begin." + +They all sat down. + +When they were about half through breakfast, Uncle Moses began to +wonder what was keeping David. + +"Which way did he go, boys?" he asked. + +"I didn't see him," said Frank. + +"I didn't," said Clive. + +"Nor I," said Bob. + +"He was up before I was." said Frank, "and had gone out. I didn't +see him at all. I only saw his empty bed, and found his clothes +gone. I dare say he's gone off on a walk." + +"O, he's all right," said Bob. + +"Yes," said Uncle Moses, "I don't doubt it He's a very careful, +quiet boy, I know; but he is always so punctual, that it seems kind +o' odd for him to be so late." + +"O, I dare say he's misunderstood about the hour," said Clive. + +"Perhaps so," said Uncle Moses. + +The boys now went on finishing their breakfast; but Uncle Moses +began to fidget in his chair, and look around, and sigh, and gave +other signs of growing uneasiness of mind. Feeling in himself, as +he did, the care of all the boys, he never was altogether free from +anxiety; and the various adventures which the boys had encountered, +had not, in any way, tended to lessen his uneasy vigilance over +them. Bob's last adventure, in particular, had wrought upon him +most painfully, so that he was ten times more careful over his +young and somewhat flighty charges than he had been before. The +absence of David at such an important time seemed unaccountable. +If it had been any one of the others, it would have been intelligible; +but for David, who was the soul of order, regularity, and method, +to fail an appointment, was something so extraordinary, that he +could not but feel alarmed. Still he restrained himself, for he +felt a little ashamed of his fears; and though he was evidently +very restless, uneasy, and worried, he said not a word until the +boys had finished their breakfast. + +"I don't know what to make of it," said Uncle Moses at last, starting +from his chair and going to the window. Standing there, he looked +uneasily up and down the street, and then returned and looked +earnestly at the boys. + +"I don't know what to make of it, at all," he repeated. "Did you +say you didn't see him, none of you? Didn't you see him, Clive?" + +"No, sir," said Clive. "When I waked, all the boys were up." + +"Didn't he say anythin last night about intendin to do anythin this +mornin?" + +"I didn't hear him say anything." + +"O, I'm sure he's misunderstood about the hour," said Frank. "That's +it He's off on a walk. I dare say he's found some old ruin; and if +that's the case, he won't know anything about time at all. Put him +in an old ruin, and he'd let all the breakfasts that ever were +cooked wait before he'd hurry." + +"Wal," said Uncle Moses, "there's somethin in that too. David's +dreadful fond of old stones, and old bones, and tumble-down edifices, +and old sticks an weeds. Why, he's all the time collectin; an if +he keeps on, his baggage'll become nothin else but that." + +Pleased with this thought, which brought up before his mind what +to him was an inexplicable peculiarity of David, Uncle Moses drew +a breath of relief. + +"Wal," said he, "we'll have to wait patiently, till David's done +with that there old ruin; an meantime I think I'll take a turn an +see if I can see anythin of him." + +Upon this Uncle Moses went out of the room, and down to the street. +Reaching the street, he walked up and down the entire length of +the town, looking eagerly in every direction, peering into the +doors of houses, staring into space, scanning groves and vineyards, +and every half minute taking out his watch and looking at it. At +the end of about half an hour, he returned more troubled than ever, +and met Frank, Clive, and Bob in front of the hotel. + +"I can't find him anywhere," said he. + +Thus far the boys had thought nothing of David's disappearance; +but the deep anxiety of Uncle Moses now excited their alarm; and +though, if left to themselves, they would have seen nothing to fear +in the fact of David's being an hour or so behind time, yet, after +all, they began to see that, in one like David, such conduct was +most extraordinary; and in this foreign country, of whose ways they +were so ignorant, there might possibly be danger in such absence. +They at once began to comfort Uncle Moses; and then all of them +volunteered to go in different directions and see if they could +find him. Uncle Moses again set out, walking up the road in the +direction of Sorrento; Frank went down the road; Clive took a +by-road that led towards the hills; while Bob, who was rather weak +yet, and not capable of much exertion, said that he would watch +from the window of the hotel, and be at home, in case of David's +return, to explain matters. + +In this way they began their search, and Bob waited patiently in +the hotel. After about an hour Uncle Moses came back. On finding +that David had not returned, he looked unspeakably distressed; +and when, after a short time farther, both Frank and Clive returned +without any tidings of the fugitive, he began to look quite +heartbroken. + +Then they talked to the driver about it; but the' driver could give +them no information whatever. They sent him over the hotel to +question all the people, but this search was as vain as the others +had been. There was no one in the hotel, from the big landlord down +to the scullion, who could tell anything at all about David. + +By the time all these examinations and searches had been made it +was after ten o'clock. Breakfast had been served at seven, and +seven was the hoar at which David should have been among them. He +had been gone, therefore, more than three hours. + +Even the boys now began to feel uneasy. Uncle Moses and all the +boys began to rack their brains to find some way of accounting for +David's absence. + +"Did any of you ever hear of his walking in his sleep?" asked, +Uncle Moses, in an agitated voice. + +"No," said Bob, "never. I know he never did such a thing." + +"He couldn't have taken a walk anywheres," said Uncle Moses, "or +he'd been back long ago." + +"O, yes; he wouldn't have started on a three hours' walk," said +Clive. + +"Perhaps he's tried a donkey ride, and been ran away with, like +me," said Bob. + +"O, no," said Frank, "he isn't fond of riding; he'd never get on +the back of any animal, unless he had to." + +"Did he say anything about--about--?" + +Uncle Moses hesitated at the question which he was about to ask. + +"About what, Uncle Moses?" asked Clive. + +"About--bathing?" asked Uncle Moses, in a faltering voice. + +"No," said Clive. + +Uncle Moses drew a long breath. + +"It would be dreadful dangerous," said he. + +"But, Uncle Moses," said Clive, "David would never think of such +a thing. He might go in if all of us fellows went in too, just for +company; but he doesn't care enough about it to go in alone. The +fact is, he doesn't care much for any kind of sports. He's too fond +of books." + +Uncle Moses sighed heavily. + +"I wonder," said Bob, "if any of those Sorrento fellows have been +about here, and seen him." + +At this suggestion every one of them started, and stared at one +another. + +"Sorrento fellers?" repeated Uncle Moses. + +"Do you think there's any chance?" + +"O, I don't know," said Bob. "I only thought it might be +possible. You see Dave made no end of a row there about that +tassel that he took, and you know how we had to run for it. +Well, you know Sorrento isn't very far from here, and I just +thought that some of the Sorrento people might have seen us +come here yesterday. If they did, they might have tried to +pay up poor old Dave for what he did out there." + +"It may be so," said Uncle Moses, with a groan. "The whole population +were ravin mad, an we had hard enough work to get away." + +"Well," said Frank, "it's the only thing that can account for Dave's +absence. He may have taken a little stroll this morning, and fallen +into the hands of some of those fellows. Perhaps they've been +watching all night for the chance. They would watch, not only all +night, but a fortnight, for the sake of revenge. There's no people +so revengeful as the Italians. Poor Dave! What can we do? I'll go +and ask the driver." + +Saying this, Frank hurried out of the room and down stairs to +talk to the driver about it. All the others followed. On +suggesting this Sorrento theory to the driver, that worthy +shook his head, and thought that there might be something in +it. He evidently began to look upon David's absence as something +very serious, and his seriousness over it only added to the +anxiety of Uncle Moses and the boys. + +"If this is so, we ought to drive off to Sorrento at once," said +Frank, "before it is too late. If Dave is in their hands, he needs +us now, and I only wish we had thought of this before." + +"But he mayn't be there at all," said Bob, who +generally had a mind of his own. + +"Where else is he?" + +"I don't know." + +"There's no need for all of us to go," said Uncle Moses. "I'll go +alone, and you boys stay here till I come back. But I don't know, +either. I'm afraid to leave you. If David's got into trouble, how +can any of you hope to escape? No, you must all come, for I declare +I'm afraid to trust one of you out of my sight." + +"But some of us ought to stay," said Bob, "for Dave may turn up +all right, and how'll he know what's become of us?" + +"Wal," said Uncle Moses, "I'll leave word for him here at the +hotel." + +"Yes." said Frank, "that's the best way. None of us want to dawdle +our lives out in this place all day, and you don't want to leave +any of us behind, Uncle Moses; so if we all go together, we'll all +be satisfied." + +A few minutes afterwards the carriage rolled out of Castellamare, +carrying the party back to Sorrento. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_The Waking of David.--A glorious Scene.--A Temptation.--David +embarks upon the wide wide Sea.--Youth at the Prow and Pleasure at +the Helm.--A daring Navigator.--A baffled and confounded +Navigator.--Lost! Lost! Lost!--Despair of David.--At the Mercy of +Wind and Sea.--The Isle of the Brigands.--The Brigand Chief._ + + +On the morning of that day David had waked very early, feeling +refreshed with his slumbers, and not at all inclined to prolong +them. The others were all asleep, and the house was silent. As he +lay he could hear the gentle ripple of the water upon the beach, +and feel the sweet, balmy air of morning as it tanned his cheeks. +For some little time he lay enjoying his situation, and then jumped +out of bed and went to the window. + +Immediately in front of him lay the Bay of Naples, a dark blue +expanse, with its border of green shores and white cities, overhung +by a sky whose hue rivalled that of the sea beneath. The beauty of +the scene was so exquisite that it called him forth, and unable +any longer to remain within doors, he dressed himself and walked +out. On his way out he met no one, for all were still asleep. He +had to unlock the door to let himself out, and when outside he saw +that the street was as deserted as the interior of the hotel. + +Standing at the door, he saw the eastern sky all ruddy and glowing. +The sun was not yet up, but these hues indicated its approach, and +announced that it was at hand. The fertile plains, all covered with +vineyards, spread afar, extending from the outskirts of the town +to the slopes of the mountains, which in the distance rose up +grandly, their sides covered with groves, and resting in dark +shadows. There, too, was Vesuvius, as ever, monarch of the scene; +and the smoke that hung over its summit stood revealed in a black +mass against the blue sky. + +David left the hotel, and, after walking a few paces, turned his +steps towards the sea-shore. Here the attractions were greater +than on the land, for the blue expanse of water spread itself out +before him, encircled by shores and islands, and all the congregated +glories of the Bay of Naples were there in one view before his +eyes. There was a beach here of fine pebbles, which sloped gently +into the water, and upon this beach a number of boats were drawn +up. After wandering along the beach for a little distance, David +entered one of these boats, and sat down. It was a small boat, +with: a mast and sail, the latter of which was loosely furled. Here +David sat and looked out upon the water. + +The glorious scene filled his whole soul with enthusiastic delight. +Upon that deep blue surface his eye was attracted by several white +sails far away, that moved to and fro. At that moment it seemed to +him that to move thus over such a sea would be equal to a bird's +flight in the blue of heaven; and as he watched the boats he longed +to be in them. + +Suddenly he thought of the boat in which he was. Could he not have +a little sail up and down along the shore? True, he did not know +how to sail a boat, but he could learn; and this seemed as good a +time to learn as any other. He did not know the owner, but on his +return he could pay him what the excursion might be worth. He could +float over this glorious water, and move up and down within easy +reach of the shore, so as to land whenever it might be desirable. + +David was not at all an enterprising boy, or an adventurous one. +He was essentially quiet, methodical, and conservative. It was not +because this sail was a risky thing that he tried it, but rather +because it seemed so perfectly safe. There was a breeze,--he felt +it,--and the progress of the boats, afar off on the water, tantalized +him and tempted him on. The result was, that without taking much +time to think about it, David yielded to the inclination of the +moment, and pushing the boat from the land into the water, he let +loose the sail; and then seating himself in the stern, he prepared +to glide over the water. + +About sailing David knew absolutely nothing. He was not even +acquainted with the theory of sailing; nor did he know, how, or on +what principle, a sail-boat moves. About steering he was equally +ignorant, nor did he know how a boat obeys its rudder. But he knew +that the one who sails a boat sits in the stern, and holds the +tiller; so David did the same, holding the tiller in his right +hand, and the sheets in his left. + +The wind was not very strong, and it happened to be blowing in +such a way that, as he unfurled the sail, it filled at once, and +the boat moved lightly and pleasantly along. The motion filled +David with delight. He saw himself borne on past the shore, at +a gentle rate, and felt that the moment was one of supreme +happiness. Thus, holding sheet and tiller, he resigned himself +to the joy of the occasion. + +The wind was moderate, and there was nothing whatever in the movement +of the boat to excite the slightest uneasiness. The wavelets dashed +pleasantly against the bows, and the course of the boat remained +sufficiently straight to keep her sail filled. David saw that +whatever the secret of navigation might be, he had unconsciously +stumbled Upon it; and finding that the boat was doing so admirably, +he was very careful to hold the tiller straight, and not to move +it to either side. So he leaned back, and luxuriated in the pleasant +motion, and looked up at the deep blue sky that bent above him, +and around at the wide expanse of water, the green verdurous hills, +the vine-clad meadows, and the purple mountains. + +From time to time he noticed, with satisfaction, that his +course ran along the shore, parallel to it, as it appeared. +He noticed, however, that he was now farther away from it than +when he started; but as yet the distance did not seem excessive; +in fact, it seemed on the whole preferable, since it gave him +a finer view. Before him the shore ran on until it terminated +on a headland, and David thought that this would be a good +place to fix as the limit of his voyage. + +Never was any human being more utterly out of place than David in +this sail-boat, and never was any human being more serenely +unconscious of his unfitness. David's frame of mind was one of +calm, beatific enjoyment. He was quite unconscious of the increase +of the distance between his boat and the shore, which grew greater +every moment, and equally unobservant of the lapse of time. In +times of great enjoyment the hours fly quickly by, and in David's +high exaltation of feeling the time thus fled. + +At length, even in the midst of his happiness, the sober practical +thought obtruded itself of time and space. How long had he been +out? How much time would he have? How far had he gone? He looked +at his watch. To his utter amazement and consternation, he found +that it was seven o'clock--the time fixed for breakfast. He had +been sailing for two hours at least. As to distance, he could not +grapple with that thought, but turned hastily, and looked back. +That look gave him but little satisfaction. He could see a line of +white at the skirts of the sea; but whether it was Castellamare, +or Naples itself, he was unable to guess. + +It was a wide, sharp; and painful awakening from his bliss +and serene delight, and it was an effectual one. No more placid +gliding now; no careless voyaging. Two hours! Seven o'clock! +Already they were at breakfast, and waiting for him. They were +wondering about his absence. And when could he join them +again? Two hours! If it had taken two hours to come thus far, +it would also take fully as much time to go back. Go back? +And where should he go, or how could he get back? + +Thus far, David's idea about his course, if he can be said to have +had an idea, was, that it lay along the shore, and that somehow he +could go back as easily as he had come. But now that the necessity +for going back was upon him, he instantly became aware of his utter +ignorance, for he had not the faintest idea how to turn the boat. +There was no time for delay, however. Something had to be done, +and that immediately. David knew this much at least, that a boat +could be turned by means of the rudder; so he began to experiment +upon this part of the vessel. He palled the rudder towards him. +The boat turned, and as it turned the sail began to flap, and toss, +and snap, in such a way that he grew exceedingly nervous. Suddenly +a puff of wind came, and the sheets where whipped out of his +nerveless hand, while the sail thus loosened blew forward. + +David's heart quaked at this, and he knew not what to do. With some +vague idea of bringing the boat back to her former position, and +beginning all over again, he pulled the tiller first to one side +and then to the other; but to his dismay he found that the boat no +longer obeyed it. Then he tried to get possession of the sheets +again, and, clumsily crawling forward, he managed to secure them; +after which he crawled back to the stern, and clinging to the +sheets, began, as well as his nervousness would allow him, to try +a series of experiments. First, he pulled the tiller towards him. +At this the boat came up to the wind, and resumed her former +course. But this was the very course on which he did not wish +to go; so he pushed the tiller from him. Upon this the boat fell +away; and the flapping, jerking, whipping, and snapping, which +had so alarmed him before, recommenced, and alarmed him more than +ever. For some time he continued this, until at length, as he +brought the boat up to the wind once more, there came a fresher +puff than any which had thus far blown, and the boat lay far over +on her side. Terrified out of his wits, David had just sense +enough to put her off, and then dropping sheets and tiller, he +sank back and looked all around in a panic. + +This puff was the beginning of a somewhat stronger breeze--a breeze +which would have rejoiced the heart of a sailor, but which carried +nothing but terror to the heart of David. What to do now he did +not know, nor for some moments did he even think. The wind to his +inexperienced senses seemed a hurricane, and the wavelets seemed +formidable waves. For a time he lay paralyzed in the stern, expecting +every instant to be ingulfed; but as the time passed, and his doom +was delayed, he began to recover himself, and think about what he +should do next. + +To him, in his terror and anxiety, the first necessity seemed to +be to get rid of that dangerous sail. As it flapped in the wind +it seemed to endanger the boat. At all hazards that must be furled +or taken down. So once more, by a mighty effort, he crawled forward, +and grasping the flying sheets, he drew them in, and tied the sail +to the mast, performing, the work in a manner which was very clumsy, +yet quite efficient. The upper part of the sail still remained +free, bagging out a little, like a balloon; but the lower part was +tied up in a way that would defy the tempest itself. After this +David felt safer, and crawling back, he drew a long breath, and +threw a fearful glance around. + +Some time had been taken up with these experiments in navigation, +and as David looked, he saw that the result had been not to bring +him nearer to Castellamare, but to take him farther out from the +shore. The nearest land to him now was an island, but what island +he could not say. As his eyes wandered around, they saw nothing +that was familiar. A mountain appeared over the land astern, and +the smoke on its summit showed that it must be Vesuvius; but it +had a different appearance altogether from that with which he was +familiar. He could form no idea of the course which he had taken, +and could only guess, in a general way, where Castellamare might be. + +Some time before, he had been troubled at the thought that he would +keep his party waiting; but now he had no trouble whatever on that +score. His only trouble or anxiety was about himself. He felt as +though he was in a position of tremendous danger, and was being +tossed about by pitiless waves, which were hemming him in on every +side, like ravening beasts of prey. In reality the pitiless waves +were scarcely waves at all, the breeze was only moderate, and there +was no possible danger; but David did not know this, and so he +suffered as much as though his imaginary danger was real. + +Meanwhile a portion of the sail had been left loose, as has been +said, and afforded something for the breeze to act upon. The +consequence was, that the boat moved along slowly before the wind, +and gradually approached the island which David had already noticed. +For some time he remained with his eyes fixed upon the land astern, +and Vesuvius. When he withdrew them and looked around, the island +was much nearer. He began to see that he was approaching that +island, and that before long he would reach it. This prospect +excited in his mind the utmost hope, and all his attention was now +directed towards that place. The time passed slowly, but it did +pass; and at length, about three hours after he had first tried to +turn the boat, he found himself so close to the island that he +could step ashore. + +It was now about ten o'clock. The place where David landed was a +pebbled beach, bordered by rocks, above which grew trees. As he +approached the island he saw houses and people. The houses were +plain and small, and the people seemed laboring in the fields. +David's habit of considering all Italian peasants as brigands now +excited in his mind a fear which brought fresh anxieties. On this +lonely island the whole population might be brigands, who would +treat him as lawful prey, and from whom he could hope to fare no +better than those early shipwrecked mariners in these seas about +whom he had read and studied so much. He congratulated himself that +his boat had borne him to a sequestered spot like this, where he +might be secure from observation, and have time to look forth and +see what manner of men these island brigands might be. + +And so, full of anxiety, David drew his boat cautiously upon the +beach as far as he could, and secured it; after which he stole up +to the shelter of the trees and rocks, so as to reconnoitre. The +trees grew along the edge of the rocks, which rose above the beach, +to a height of about twenty feet, and formed a grove, which was +sufficiently dense for David to feel secure from observation. The +grove ran along the edge of the bank for some distance, bat was of +no great depth; and David, as he peered through the trees, could +see an opening beyond, and the glimpse of white buildings. Here, +then, David found himself close to the dreaded neighborhood of the +brigands of the island, and it was with a feeling of great trepidation +that he recognized the frailty of his present shelter, the +insufficiency of his place of concealment, and the necessity that +there was of leaving it before long. + +To quit it and communicate with the inhabitants of the place, he +plainly saw, could not long be avoided. He had as yet eaten nothing, +and already he began to feel the cravings of hunger. He would also +have to take measures to effect his return to his friends. His +hunger and his desire to get back to his friends alike made him +desperate; and so, after a few minutes of concealment and fearful +inspection of the scene, he began to move forward cautiously, so +as to make a more thorough survey of the open ground on the other +side of the grove. + +Stealing forward as noiselessly and as warily as possible, and +keeping himself carefully under the shelter of the heavier foliage +and denser underbrush, David worked his way on, and at length found +himself on the other side of the grove, where he could peer forth +through the leaves of a laurel bush upon the scene. + +He saw here a green meadow, which ran up a moderate declivity till +it reached a house. The house was a small cottage, of simple and +neat appearance, and it stood not more than a hundred yards from +the edge of the grove. Cattle were feeding in the meadow. To the +right was a vineyard, and on the left an olive grove. On one side +of the olive grove there ran a row of cactuses, up from the bank +towards the house. + +All this David took, in at a glance; but he also saw something +which made his heart, beat quick with excitement and anxiety. + +He saw a man! + +The man was standing in front of the house. He was a big, burly, +broad-shouldered, bearded ruffian, with a red shirt, and a slouching +felt hat. A short pipe was in his mouth, stuck into the mass of +hair which covered the lower part of his face. His hair was long, +and dark, and glossy, and curling; falling in rich clusters below +his broad felt hat. He had gaiters and stout shoes, and was engaged +upon a rifle, which he seemed to be cleaning. + +At the sight of this great, big, bearded, Burly, broad-shouldered +ruffian, David's' heart gave a great leap, and suddenly seemed to +stop beating. He sat as though petrified, crouching low, as though +to avoid observation. + +This, then, he thought, was what he had feared, and while trying +to avoid the brigands, he had stumbled upon the chief of them all. +In that formidable figure he recognized the true brigand style, +and in that bearded face, with its bushy eyebrows and slouching +hat, he saw what seemed to him, from that distance, like the ferocity +of the implacable Fra Diavolo himself. + +So overwhelmed was he, that for some time he could not move. At +last he felt a wild impulse to fly. He started back, determining +to seek his boat once more. So hurried was he that he was less +cautious than before, and catching his foot in a long tendril of +some creeper, he fell. In falling, he struck his hand against some +cactus or other thorny plant, and the spine pierced his flesh, +causing severe pain. In spite of himself a cry burst from him. The +cry was instantly repressed, and David, raising himself, prepared +to continue his retreat. But first he looked fearfully around to +see whether his cry had discovered him. + +As he did so his heart sunk within him. + +The brigand chief had heard him! + +He was walking straight towards him! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_David Captured.--The big, bluff, burly, brusque, bearded, +broad-shouldered, beetle-browed Bully of a Brigand.--A terrific +Inquisition.--David's Plea for Mercy.--The hard-hearted Captor and +the trembling Captive.--A direful Threat.--David carried off helpless +and despairing.--The Robber's Hold._ + + +So this great, big, bluff, burly, brusque, bearded, broad-shouldered, +beetle-browed brigand came straight towards the place where poor +David was; walking with great strides; and David, seeing all hope +lost, stood still, and awaited the arrival of his formidable enemy. +The consciousness of his utter helplessness filled him with despair, +and his ignorance of Italian put it out of his power to disarm the +fury or deprecate the wrath of his fierce pursuer. In the few +moments that intervened between the first discovery that he was +seen and the arrival of his enemy, his brain was filled with +confusion, and his bewildered thoughts turned helplessly to his +friends whom he had left behind. He thought of their grief. He +thought, too, of his home. He thought, of his mother. That home, +those friends, that loving, mother, he now might never see again. +Farewell, all dear ones! Farewell, bright past! Farewell, sweet +life, and glad light of day! Such were the thoughts, gloomy and +despairing, that filled his mind, and tormented his heart; and at +the moment that his pursuer entered the grove and stood before him, +David looked up with pale face and frightened eyes, and something +like a sob escaped him. + +The big, burly brigand stood before him, and eyed him from head to +foot. He was very tall, and, indeed, to David he seemed gigantic, +while his right hand held the rifle like a walking-stick. He looked +at David in silence, and scanned him curiously all over; and David's +eyes, which had at first sought those of his captor in timid +entreaty, now sank before his stern gaze. + +"_Cosa volete?_" said the brigand. "_Donde venite?_" in a deep +voice. + +"_Non capisco_," faltered David, bringing forth the only Italian +that he knew. + +At this the brigand was silent, and again surveyed him. + +"_Parlate Italiano?_" he asked, at length. + +"No," said David, in a tremulous voice; for he understood the +meaning of those words well enough. + +"Hm--" said the brigand, and then, "_Parlez vous Francais?_" + +"No," said David. + +"_Habla usted Espanol?_" asked the brigand once more, apparently +quite curious to find out the nationality of his prisoner, so as +to form some basis of communication with him. + +David shook his head. + +The brigand paused, and frowned, and stared fixedly at David, as +though trying to gather from his looks and dress what his country +might be. David's dress showed him to be a respectable youth, +while his face might belong to any nationality; for his complexion +was dark, and somewhat sallow, his eyes dark, his hair black and +straight, and his frame slender. + +"_Sprechen sie Deutsch?_" asked the brigand, once, more returning +to the examination. + +David shook his head. + +At this the brigand frowned, and once more relapsed into silence +for some time. At length he made a further effort. + +"_Russo?_" he asked, in an interrogative tone, elevating his +eyebrows. + +David shook his head. + +"_Turco?_" asked the brigand again, in the same tone and manner. + +Again David shook his head, wondering why the brigand should for +one moment imagine it possible that he could be a Russian or a +Turk. + +"_Greco?_" asked the brigand, in a tone of voice which seemed as +though he was about to give it up as a hopeless conundrum. + +When David shook his head at this, the brigand turned away in +disgust, and stood for a few moments meditating. David felt his +fate to be hanging in the balance, and stood in deep suspense, +watching with anxious eyes the face of his captor. But the heavy +beard and mustache, and the slouched felt hat, concealed all +expression; nor could David see anything there which could at all +lessen his anxiety. He thought, however, that if he could only +communicate in some way his mournful story, and let his captor see +that he had come here unintentionally, and only wanted to get back +to his friends, he might excite his compassion, if indeed there +was any compassion in the stern soul of this awful being. It was +David's only chance, however; and so, putting his hand timidly on +the brigand's arm, he pointed towards the shore, and waved his arm +towards Naples. + +At this the brigand stared; but seeing that David persistently +pointed in that direction, he walked off through the grove for a +few paces, till he reached the top of the bank, where the beach +appeared before him, and the boat drawn up on it. David followed +him, and as they came in sight of the boat he pointed towards it, +and then touched his breast, meaning by that to show that the boat +was his. This the brigand at once understood, and after once more +staring hard at David, as though anxious to ascertain whether he +was speaking the truth or not, he bounded down the bank, and strode +towards the boat, which he examined narrowly, inside and out. Daring +this time he paid no attention to David; but to the poor lost lad +this indifference gave no hope. He knew that there was no escape +for him. He felt that on this island the brigand was supreme, and +any effort to fly would only be worse than useless. So, instead of +trying to fly, he followed the brigand, and came up to where he +was standing beside the boat. + +The brigand examined it very narrowly outside and inside. He +inspected the bow, the stern, and the rudder. He knelt down and +looked underneath. He stepped inside and examined David's clumsy +fastenings of the sail. These excited much interest, apparently, +and caused prolonged study on his part. To David all this appeared +perfectly intelligible, and very natural. The brigand was evidently +examining his plunder, to see what it was worth. David felt an +additional pang of grief at the thought that he had sequestrated +the property of some innocent Castellamare fisherman, and diverted +it into the possession of brigands; but he consoled himself by the +thought that if he ever escaped he could hunt up the owner and make +good the loss. Escape for himself was the first thing, and he tried +to hope that the boat might prove a prize sufficiently valuable to +mollify the mind of the brigand, and dispose him to mercy and +compassion. So, as the brigand inspected the boat, David stood +watching the brigand, and looking earnestly to see whether there +were any signs of a relenting disposition. But the face of the +brigand preserved an unchanged expression; and after he had examined +the boat to his satisfaction, he once more confronted David, and +the poor, forlorn, despairing lad saw that his aspect was as malign, +as ferocious, and as truculent as ever. + +David determined to make a further effort. There was nothing else +to be done. He felt that he must pacify this ferocious being, disarm +his hostility, appease his cruelty, and, if possible, excite his +compassion. To do all this, it would be necessary to express himself +by signs--for he could not speak the language; and though signs +seemed very inadequate, yet he had to resort to them. He had heard, +however, of the skill of the Italians in expressing ideas by means +of gestures, and he hoped that this man might gain some meaning +from his unskilled efforts. + +So, first of all, he tried to tell the brigand that he was from. +America. He laid one hand on his heart, and waved the other towards +what he supposed to be the west. + +The brigand nodded solemnly, and seemed to comprehend what he wished +to state. It gratified David to see this, and to notice also that +the brigand was very attentive, and fixed his dark, stern eyes upon +him with closest scrutiny. + +The next thing that David tried to tell him was, that he had friends +with him. + +This he did by patting his breast, waving his arms around him, +smiling, and touching four of his fingers. + +The brigand nodded. He had apparently got idea. + +David was very much encouraged. + +The next thing to be told was, that he and his friends had gone on +an excursion into the country. + +This he did by prancing along the sand, and snapping an imaginary +whip; after which he pointed to the opposite shore, waving his hand +along the country. + +The brigand nodded again, and appeared deeply interested. + +The next thing to be told was, that he had put off in this boat. + +He waved his hand towards Vesuvius. Then he lay down on the +sand, and pretended to be asleep. He then rose, yawned, and +rubbed his eyes. Then he went to the boat, pretended to push +off and hoist sail. + +The brigand now nodded very vigorously, and it began to be evident +to David that his story was making some impression. + +He now wished to explain that the boat had got beyond his control, +on account of his ignorance of navigation, and that he had drifted +or been blown upon this shore. + +To do this, he pointed to the boat, then to himself; after which +he sighed and looked down in a melancholy way. Then he got into +the boat and shook the sail. Then he jumped out and rocked it as +violently as he could. Then he sank back on one knee with folded +arms and upturned face, intending by that to indicate despair. Then +he waved his hands all about, and pointed to the boat and to the +sea; and then, pointing alternately to the boat and to the sea, he +waved his hands, trying to indicate the track over which he had +passed while approaching the island. After this he paused, and +turned a supplicatory look at his captor. + +Thereupon the brigand nodded vehemently, as before. + +And now one thing yet remained for David to explain, and that was, +his own position. He wished to tell the brigand that he knew he +was in his power, and that he would pay any ransom, if he would +only restore him to his friends. + +To explain this, David took the big hand of the brigand, and put +it upon his head, stooping down low as he did so. Then he waved +his arms all around, and mournfully shook his head. Which meant, +that he was in the brigand's power, and would not and could not +escape. Then he drew forth his purse, tapped it several times, held +it out to the brigand, waved his hands towards Naples, slapped his +breast, and pointed to the brigand and to himself. Which meant, +that he would pay any money, that he had friends in Naples who +would treat with the brigand for his release on his own terms. +Having explained this much, David stopped, for he felt that there +was nothing more for him to do, and watched the effect of his story, +and his concluding offer. + +The brigand seemed gratified. He nodded several times gravely and +thoughtfully. Then he looked at the boat, and then at David, and +then at the sea. To David it seemed as if the brigand was trying +to trace the boat's devious track over the water, so as to see +whether his story was true or not. He did not offer any further +explanations, but allowed the brigand to think it out for himself. +That worthy accordingly devoted his mind to the consideration of +the situation for some time, until at length he seemed to have +mastered it, and also to have come to a decision about his own +course of conduct. + +He reached out his brawny hand, and laid it on David's head. After +which he pointed to himself, and nodded. + +By this David saw, unmistakably, that the brigand was claiming +him as his own captive. Although the fact was already painfully +evident, yet this formal statement of it produced a very depressing +effect upon David's mind, and made him feel that he had been +indulging in hopes too soon. Then the brigand waved his hand +towards the fields, and the cottage beyond the grove. After this, +he waved his hand in a general direction, and then swept it over +the surrounding scene. He pointed to the island and nodded, +pointed to Naples and shook his head. + +By which David understood him to say, "You are my prisoner. I live +in that house. You shall be kept there. You can't escape." + +Then the brigand raised his gun, and nodded at David. Then he +slapped the stock of it several times, fixing his keen, glowing +eyes gloomily upon the lad as he did so. Then he waved his hand +towards the sky. + +By which David understood the following:-- + +"You're my prisoner! You cannot escape! If you dare try it, I will +shoot you! You can no more escape than you can fly in the air!" + +Then the brigand pointed to the boat, and touched his breast. + +By which David understood,-- + +"This boat is mine, and I will keep it as my lawful prize." + +Then he waved his hand to the house, and then pointed to Naples. +After which he brought forth a purse from his pocket, tapped it +significantly, pointed to David, and then to Naples. + +By which David understood,-- + +"I will keep you as a prisoner up there in my house till I communicate +with your friends about your ransom, and find out how much I can +get for you." + +After this the brigand pulled the boat farther up on the beach, +and then, beckoning to David to follow, he strode off towards +the house. + +Slowly and sadly poor David followed; and hope, which had for a +moment revived, began to die out within him. He had been deceived +by the demeanor of the brigand, during his own description of his +woes and wandering, and had mistaken for compassion what was only +ordinary attention. The manner of the brigand, when he had began +to gesticulate, changed hope to fear, and fear to despair. The +merciless allusion to David's captive state; the rude appropriation +of him as a prisoner by the grasp of his head; the ferocious threat +with the gun; and, finally, the display of the purse, and the coarse +reference to money and ransom, all convinced David that he had to +do with one who was a stranger to compassion--a ferocious and +ruthless nature, without pity, and without remorse. And now, as +his captor led the way to the house, he felt that he was being +conveyed to a prison, from which his escape was, indeed, uncertain; +for, though he knew that Uncle Moses would pay any ransom, yet he +could not know whether the brigand would ever be able to communicate +with him or not. On the whole, it was the darkest hour of his life; +and the stride of the ruffian in front of him seemed like the march +of inevitable Fate! + +They climbed up the bank, and then went through the grove. Emerging +into the field, they walked on towards the house. As they drew +nearer, David saw signs that were not altogether in keeping with +the tough exterior of his enemy, for in front of the cottage +there were flowers in bloom, which appeared to be cultivated by +some careful hand; but a moment's thought showed David that this +might be the work of the robber's wife. The prospect of meeting +with a woman afforded hope; for whatever the husband might be, +the wife might be gentle, and pitiful, and womanly; and David +drew hope from the flowers; for the one that would have tastes +like these might not be altogether hard and implacable; and as +the giants and ogres of the fairy books had wives who generally +were willing to help the victims of their husbands, so here, in +the wife of this Italian ogre, David hoped to find one who might +be as merciful as those of fairy lore. + +At length they reached the house, and the brigand, after waiting +for a moment for his prisoner to come up, entered the door. David +followed, and found himself inside. + +The door opened immediately into a room. It was large and low. The +floor was paved with red tiles, and the walls were of wood, varnished. +Around the walls hung numerous pictures without frames. In different +places there were confused heaps of clothing and drapery. The +clothing was rich, though fantastic. In one corner was a frame with +armor suspended; while over this, on the wall, he saw arms of +different kinds--pistols, carbines, daggers, and blunderbusses. +The fashion of all these was somewhat antique, and there was a +richness in their ornaments which even David noticed, in spite of +his trouble and anxiety. The furniture about the room was +old-fashioned, formed of massive mahogany, carved most elaborately, +and was of so many different styles that the pieces seemed thrown +together at random. A Glastonbury chair stood beside an Elizabethan +sofa; a modern Davenport, a Louis Quatorze side-board, and a classic +tripod, stood in a row. Some Chinese tables were in one corner. In +the centre of the room was a table of massive construction, with +richly carved legs, that seemed as old as the middle ages; while +beside it was an American rocking-chair, in which lay a guitar. +The whole scene struck David as being perfectly in keeping with +his captor; for this interior looked like some pictures which he +had seen of robber holds, where the accumulated plunder of years +is heaped indiscriminately together, and reminded him vividly of +the descriptions which he had read of the abodes of pirates or +brigands, in the novels of Cooper, in Francisco, the Pirate of the +Pacific, Lafitte, the Pirate of the Gulf, and Rinaldo Rinaldini. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_On the Way to Sorrento again.--A mournful Ride.--A despairing +Search.--A fearful Discovery.--The old Virago again.--In a +Trap.--Sorrento aroused.--Besieged.--All lost.--A raging +Crowd.--The howling Hag.--Hurried Consultation.--The last forlorn +Hope.--Disguise, Flight, and Concealment._ + + +So, as I have said, the carriage rolled out from Castellamare, +along the road to Sorrento, freighted with its anxious load. All +were silent. Uncle Moses was weighed down by an anxiety that was +too deep for words, and sat bent forward with his head buried in +his hands. The boys respected his feelings too much to say anything, +and consequently they, too, sat in silence. They were far from +feeling anything like despair, however, on David's account. Before +they started, Bob had assured them that "Dave" was "all right," +and would turn up before long somewhere--an assurance which Frank +and Clive accepted as a perfectly sound and reliable statement; +and so, if they were silent, it was not so much the silence of care +or sadness, as of sympathy with Uncle Moses. + +As they went along they met people from time to time, some +wayfarers, some in carriages, some in wagons, and some on +horseback. In accordance with the earnest request of Uncle +Moses, the driver questioned all these without exception, and +asked the same question of all. + +"Have you seen anything of a boy about fifteen years old--pale, +with dark hair, sallow face, and gray dress?" + +And to this question there was one uniform answer from every one, + +"No." + +And at each fresh answer Uncle Moses would feel more and more +disheartened, and sink into a new abyss of despondency and anxiety. + +Far different was this journey to Sorrento from that former one +which they had made a few days before. Then they were all together, +and every one was filled with joy and enthusiasm. Then no one in +that little party was penetrated with a more profound and heartfelt +joy than David, who, in addition to a boy's delight at novelty, +brought forth all that classical glow and fervor which were peculiarly +his own. And now, where was he? The nearer they drew to Sorrento, +the more urgent and pressing did this question become; and as each +one asked it of himself, there was no answer. Gradually the +spectacle of the woe of Uncle Moses began to affect the boys, and +in spite of Bob's confidence they began to feel an unpleasant fear +stealing over them. + +A little way out of Sorrento the driver halted and spoke to Uncle +Moses. + +He felt a little troubled, he said, about taking the carriage into +the town. He reminded them of the recent uproar of the people, and +their narrow escape, and warned them that if they were recognized +they might again be assailed. + +But this warning fell on heedless ears. Uncle Moses was decided to +go on. If David was anywhere, he might be in that very town, a +prisoner in the hands of those foolish people who took offence at +nothing. If they wished to save him, they must go into the very +midst of the people, and gave him from their vengeance. + +At this the driver drove on. + +About a half a mile outside the town they overtook an old woman, +and the driver stopped, and put to her the usual question. As the +woman looked up they all recognized her at once. + +She was their old friend, or rather enemy--the virago herself, and +no other! + +At the driver's question she stared at them, and at once recognized +them all. A dark and gloomy expression came over her, and if glances +could have injured them they would have been blasted on the spot. + +She stood there, and after the driver had asked the question she +glared at them for some time in silence, looking from one to the +other. Then she stretched forth a long, bony, skinny hand, and +shook it at them. Then she burst forth in a long, shrill, venomous +strain of denunciation, of which the boys could not understand one +word; but the meaning of which they could easily conjecture. + +"What does she say?" asked Uncle Moses of the driver. + +"O, nothing," said the driver. "She only does curse; and she +say she will haf vengeance." And once more the driver urged +Uncle Moses go back. + +But this appearance of the virago and her threats only roused Uncle +Moses to fresh determination. He was now confident that David had +been seized by the Sorrentonians, and that this woman was, perhaps, +the instigator and leader in the act. He urged the driver to talk +to her; but the driver assured him that it was useless, that she +was crazy, and that if they wanted to gain information they must +make inquiries elsewhere. + +They now resumed their progress, and before long entered the town, +and reached the hotel. Uncle Moses at once sought the landlord. +At the appearance of the carriage and passengers the landlord looked +a little uneasy, and at the inquiry of Uncle Moses he looked still +more troubled. But as to David he knew nothing whatever. + +"Had he heard of a boy being arrested anywhere?" + +"No--nothing at all." + +"Had he heard of any one being arrested?" + +"No." + +"Had he heard any people making any threats against them?" + +"O, certainly!"--for the whole of the next day there was nothing but +threats against the sacrilegious foreigners; but the feeling had +subsided since. Still their appearance in Sorrento would undoubtedly +rouse the people again, and the landlord urged them for their own +sakes to hurry away as fast as possible back to Castellamare. + +But Uncle Moses refused to think of this. He was here, and here he +would remain until he had found David. He wanted the landlord to +help him in this task. Let him go out and mollify the people in +any way, and see if he could find anything about the lost boy. He +promised to pay any sum to the landlord, or anybody else, if they +would only effect his rescue. + +This promise acted powerfully upon the landlord's cupidity, and he +thought that at any rate it would be well to try. So he told Uncle +Moses to wait, and he would see what could be done. He thereupon +left them, and Uncle Moses and the boys walked up stairs to that +same room in which they had dined before, when the uproar of the +people reached their ears. Here they sat down and waited in silence. + +They did not have to wait very long. It was not more than a quarter +of an hour, or twenty minutes, when hurried footsteps were heard, +and the landlord rushed in, followed by the driver. Both were +agitated and disturbed. At the same instant an outcry arose from +without, and a tumult of eager and excited voices burst upon their +ears. The landlord clasped his hands, and stood listening. The +driver rushed to Uncle Moses, and cried,-- + +"Dey haf come!--de people! You are lost!" + +At this Uncle Moses and the boys started to their feet aghast, +and Frank rushed to the window, and standing so as to be as little +observed as possible, he looked out. + +In the street in front he saw an excited crowd, which was not so +large as it had been on that former memorable occasion, but which +promised to be so before another quarter of an hour, for people +were running up every minute, and adding to the uproar. The cries +grew louder and louder, and though Frank could not understand +the words, he perceived plainly enough that they were fierce +cries of anger and vengeance. And there, conspicuous among this +crowd, was that identical old woman--that villanous old virago, +who had caused all the former trouble, and seemed now bent upon +the full accomplishment of her furious purpose. Dancing, howling, +shrieking, she stood close by the door of the hotel, which was +now shut and barred, and shook her fists at the building, and +yelled out curses at those within, and called upon her fellow +citizens to break into the hotel, and seize the sacrilegious and +barbarous foreigners. Frank was a bold boy, but this sight was +too much for him. His heart sank within him, and he involuntarily +shrank back farther out of sight. + +Soon the people outside began to throw at the party within something +harder than words. Stones came flying through the open windows, +and one of these missiles came very close to the head of Uncle +Moses. The landlord rushed forward, and closed all the shutters, +and barred them, while the boys gathered around Uncle Moses as +though to protect him from those savage assailants without. + +"What shall we do?" asked Frank of the driver. + +The driver shrugged his shoulders. + +"Can't we drive through them as we did before?" + +"Dey have put a guard at de gate. Dey prepare dis time--an not let +us go." + +"Isn't there any back way?" asked Frank, once more, of the landlord, +who now rejoined them, after having barred all the windows. + +"Dere is; but de people are on de guard." + +"Are there no soldiers about--no police? Can't some one go and get +help?" + +The landlord shook his head despondingly. + +"But there must be some way of getting rid of the mob," said Frank, +impatiently. "Can't you explain that it was all a mistake?" + +The landlord sighed. + +"I haf try," he said, in a doleful voice. "And dey say I mus put +you out of de house. Dat I can not do--so I sall haf to soffaire. +Listen!" And at that moment the crash of glass below interrupted +him, and formed a striking commentary on his remarks. "Dey vill +break de vindow," said he, "an dey vill try to break de door; but +I haf barricade as well as I can." + +"Are we at all safe?" asked Frank. + +The landlord shook his head. + +"Not mooch. If dey get enrage enough, dey break in, and den"--a +significant shrug ended the sentence. + +"Have you any arms--fire-arms?" asked Frank, after a thoughtful +pause. + +"I haf a small shot gun." + +"Give me that," interrupted Frank. + +"But I haf no powdaire," said the landlord. + +At this Frank turned away in despair. + +"Can't we get to some other room than this?" he asked of the driver. +"Isn't there a place where we can have some chance of defending +ourselves?" + +The driver had been silent for some time, and buried in thought. +He did not hear Frank's words, but as he spoke, he looked earnestly +at him, and said,-- + +"I haf a plan. It may be no good--but it is de only one." + +"Ah," asked Frank, eagerly, "what is that?" + +"You must all disguise." + +"Disguise?" + +"Yes--female dress. I sall try to get some." + +"But they would recognize us all the same." + +"No--de plan is dis. You all disguise--stay below--I sall sit in +de carriage; de horses are all ready now. Ef de people do break +in, dey will all rush up stair to here. You sall be down stair +in de stable. De moment de crowd come, I will haf de gates opened. +You sall spring in--an den I whip up, an make a fly for life. +You ond'stan?" + +The driver spoke hurriedly. Frank understood him, and at once +approved. At this the driver went off to get the landlord to procure +female dresses. That worthy hurried away, and soon returned with +about twenty gowns, bonnets, and petticoats. These he threw upon +the floor, and implored them to make haste, for the people outside +were talking of getting a beam to batter in the door. He had implored +them not to, but they scorned his prayers. + +Upon this the boys began to put on the dresses, disguising themselves +as well as they could. It was very clumsy work, and they were very +uncertain about the proper way of fastening them; but the driver +and the landlord assisted them. The dresses were those of Italian +peasant women, and required no very elaborate adjustment. Some +coarse bonnets, of an antique type, were stuck on their heads, and +served to conceal their short hair and faces. + +With Uncle Moses they had very much trouble. At first he refused +positively, and only consented when he was assured that the safety +of the boys depended upon his disguise. So he yielded reluctantly, +and allowed the driver to officiate as lady's maid. + +No sooner was this task concluded, than the landlord and driver +hurried them down stairs, and through a passage-way into the barn. +Outside, in the court-yard, was the carriage, with the horses ready. +The hostler was sent to the gate to fling it open at the driver's +signal, and the landlord, stimulated by a promise from Uncle Moses +of a large reward hi case of his rescue, returned to the hotel, to +operate upon the crowd from that quarter. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_In the Robber's Hold.--The Brigand's Bride.--Sudden, amazing, +overwhelming, bewildering, tremendous, astounding, overpowering, +and crushing Discovery.--The Situation.--Everybody confounded.--The +Crowd at Sorrento.--The Landlord's Prayers.--The Virago calls for +Vengeance._ + + +The brigand put his gun down upon the sofa, and motioned to David +to take a seat. He then left the room, and David heard his voice +calling,-- + +"Laura! Laura!" + +A light footstep sounded in the next room, and the brigand returned, +followed by a woman. + +This woman's appearance astonished David. She was a lady. She was +young, beautiful, bright as a vision, dressed simply, but in the +modern fashion altogether. She had a very sweet face, and a bewitching +smile, and as she entered she looked at David in some surprise. + +Then this great, big, bluff, bearded, broad-shouldered, beetle-browed, +brusque bully of a brigand; this fierce, ferocious, bloodthirsty, +relentless, ruthless ruffian; this hard-hearted, implacable, +inexorable villain; this cruel, vengeful, vindictive, griping, +grasping, scowling fiend; this demoniac miscreant, without pity, +and without remorse, opened his month. + +And this is what he said, in first-rate ENGLISH!--"See here, Laura; +I've picked up a poor wretch of a Bohemian--can't speak a word of +any language, and had to explain by signs. Well, you know I'm great +on gestures; so I worked his story out of him. It seems he came to +Naples with his father, mother, and two sisters, and they all went +on horseback up Vesuvius. Well, somehow they were captured by +brigands, and were carried off; but the father, who, I believe, is +a medical man, managed to drug the food of the scoundrels, and +carried off his family. Well, they got to the shore, found a boat, +and set out for Naples. After sailing a little distance, a squall +struck the boat, and it upset. All were drowned except this poor +lad, who managed to cling to the boat, and drifted, or was blown, +ashore here on the cove, just down there, last night. He was +senseless all night, and only came to himself a little while ago, +and I picked him up just as he was reviving. He says he is alone +in the world, and has appealed to me to help him. Poor lad! my +heart fairly aches for him. He says he hasn't got a penny of money, +and implores me to help him. Of course I've tried to comfort him; +for I've told him that he may make my house his home, and I've +promised to give him whatever money he wants, and move heaven and +earth to get him back to his friends, if he has any." + +During this astounding speech the lady had stolen over to David, +and sitting by his side, she placed a soft hand tenderly on his +head. As the story was being told, her eyes filled with tears, and +leaning forward, she kissed the poor boy's pale brow. When it ended +she murmured in English, that was even better than that of the +"brigand,"--"Poor boy! poor boy! O, Walter, dearest, how I do wish +I could speak Bohemian, so as to tell him how sorry I feel!" + +And what of David? + +What did David think--feel--say? + +Nothing. Not a word! + +David was paralyzed. He was stunned. He gasped for breath. + +And so this was his brigand--the brutal, the beetle-browed, the +cruel, the bloody-minded, the inexorable, the demoniac, and all +the rest of it! He gasped for breath, as I think I have already +remarked; and as the ex-brigand went on with his narrative, David +listened in a dazed way, and began to understand that the language +of gestures has its little uncertainties. But when the lady kissed +him, and when her sweet voice spoke those tender words of pity, he +could stand it no longer. His voice came to him. He burst forth,-- + +"O, how I thank you! O, how good you are! O, what a fool I am!" + +And he could say no more. + +Not a word more, on my honor. + +It was now the turn of the others to be surprised. + +The lady started back in wonder, and looked at David, and then at +her husband. The ex-brigand started back also, and stared at David +in utter bewilderment. + +"What!" he roared, in a deep, thunderous bass voice. "Say that +again." + +"O, I'm an American--and I'm such a fool!" said David. "Why didn't +I tell you so?" + +"An American!" roared the ex-brigand. "An American!" + +Upon this he burst into a perfect thunder-peal of laughter. The +laughter came forth, peal after peal, in long and deafening +explosions, till the house vibrated with the sound, and till at +last the ex-brigand sank exhausted into the Glastonbury chair. + +"An American!" he cried; "and think of me--ha, ha, ha!--asking +you if you spoke every language in the world--ha, ha, ha!--but the +right one--ha, ha, ha!--and speaking every language--ha, ha, +ha!--but my own--ha, ha, ha! And to think of us two Americans--ha, +ha, ha!--after trying Italian--ha, ha, ha I--and French, and Spanish, +and German--ha, ha, ha!--rushing into gestures!--ha, ha, +ha!--gestures!--only think, Laura--ha, ha, ha! He and I--ha, ha, +ha!--spending an hour in making signs to each other--ha, ha, ha!--but +'pon my life it's too bad in me to be howling out in this fashion, +my poor lad, when you're in the midst of such deep affliction. I +swear I'm sorry. I forget myself." + +"But I'm not in any affliction at all," said David. + +"What! What's that?" cried the ex-brigand. "Didn't you lose your +father?" + +"No." + +"But your father, and mother, and the rest of them--" + +"No," said David. "You didn't quite understand what I wanted to +say." And he then proceeded to tell his story in plain English. He +was listened to with deep attention; but as his story turned out +to be so different from the first report of the ex-brigand, the +lady stole an arch look at her husband, and her eyes fairly danced +with fun and merriment. But the ex-brigand bore it admirably; and +as David ended, and showed himself to be in no such deep affliction +as had been supposed, he once more burst forth in a fresh peal of +riotous laughter. + +Upon this David ventured to hint at his own late fears, and on +being questioned by the lady he confessed frankly what had been +the interpretation that he put upon the signs of the ex-brigand. + +"Well," said that worthy, "I'm not a brigand at all. I'm an artist." + +"I'm sure I don't wonder, Walter," said the lady. "You dress yourself +up in such an absurd fashion--and I've always told you that this +room looks like a bandit's den." + +"No, no, Laura; say an artist's studio. How could I get along +without my furniture. As for my dress, it's quite in keeping with +the place and the people. It's picturesque, and that's all an artist +is bound to consider." + +Further explanations followed, in the course of which it appeared +that this ex-brigand was Mr. Walter Ludlow, an American artist, +who, for the time being, was living here with his bride. They had +been married three months. The island was Capri. They were enjoying +love in a cottage, which cottage was furnished in an artistic, +rather than a fashionable way. They lived here quite free from +restraint, and the artist occupied the time partly with his art, +and partly with general enjoyment. Neither of them felt at all +inclined to leave Capri for some time to come, but thought it the +pleasantest place in the world. + +Ludlow happened that day to be cleaning his gun, with the intention +of going on a shooting excursion. The noise which had been made in +the wood by David had startled him, and he had gone to see what it +was, with the idea that some cattle had strayed along the shore, +and were coming into the fields and gardens. + +When Ludlow explained his gestures to David, and the latter confessed +what interpretation he had put on them, further laughter was elicited +from the fun-loving artist, in which his wife joined, and David +also. Ludlow, as soon as he was in a condition to speak, proceeded +to explain what he really meant. His gestures were all intended by +him to express the following ideas:-- + + 1. I'm an American. + 2. I don't live here--I only lodge. + 3. I'm an artist. + 4. I'm very sorry for you, and I'll take care of you. + 5. I'm going out shooting soon. + 6. Don't fret. I'll take care of you, and the boat too, + as long as you like. + 7. I live in that house up there, and you can stay there + till you hear from your friends. + +But Mrs. Ludlow now retreated, and before long she had a table set +for their young guest, at which David took his seat, and ate with +an appetite that had been sharpened by his long fast. While at +the table Ludlow questioned him more particularly about his friends, +and where he had left them. + +"Well, David, my lad," said the artist, at length, "I should like +very much to have you stay with us for a time; and if you could, +I feel confident that I could show you what would well repay you. +Are you aware that on this island is one of the wonders of the +world--the famous grotto? I should like to take you there--but I +see how it is. As you say, your uncle will be wild with anxiety +about you, and will have no peace till he hears from you. So I +suppose the best thing I can do for you, is to restore you to him +first of all, and then arrange for a visit from you all on some +future occasion." + +David thanked him very earnestly, and dwelt strongly upon the +anxiety of Uncle Moses under the circumstances. + +"Well, my lad," said Ludlow, "I think you'd best go off at once, +and I mean to go with you. Unfortunately there is a head wind, +just now, so that we cannot go to Castellamare without taking too +long a time. The best way will be to go over to Sorrento from this +place, and take a carriage, or horses, to Castellamare." + +This proposal pleased David, greatly, and as Ludlow was ready to +start, he rose to go. Mrs. Ludlow bade him good by, and pressed +him affectionately to come back with his friends. + +In a short time they were in the boat and afloat. Ludlow was a +good sailor, and the wind was favorable for a passage to Sorrento. +The distance was traversed quickly and pleasantly; and then, leaving +the boat, they walked up into the town towards the hotel, to see +about getting a conveyance to Castellamare. + +As they approached the hotel they became aware of a great and +unusual crowd in front of it. The crowd reminded David very +forcibly of that one which had been raging there a few days +before, and excited some trepidation in his breast. Involuntarily +he hung back. + +"What's the matter?" asked Ludlow. + +"The mob," said David; "do--do you think it's safe to venture among +them?" + +"Safe? Pooh! why not?" + +"They appear to be excited. Hark! how they shout." + +"O, nonsense! These Italians are always shouting." + +But David still hesitated, and finally told Ludlow about the trouble +with the tassel, and the old woman, and the mob, and their escape. + +At this story Ludlow laughed heartily, and then proceeded to reassure +David. + +"Don't be alarmed," said he; "they won't remember you. If they did, +I've got something that'll make them keep at a respectful distance;" +and he touched his breast significantly. "A six-shooter, David, my +boy, is a very convenient thing to carry about one in this country, +and it is surprising how the native mind respects it. So come +along, and we--that is, I and my six-shooter'll--take care of you. +Don't be uneasy. They've got something else on their minds now." + +With these words Ludlow walked on, and David followed, full of +fear. + +The crowd in front of the hotel was in a great state of rage and +excitement. Some were banging at the door, others pounding against +the window shutters, which had been closed by the terrified +landlord; others were standing at a distance, and trying to find +stones to throw. Fortunately there were no loose stones of any +size, few being larger than a pebble, and therefore, as yet, no +very great damage had been done. But the crowd was evidently +capable of any amount of mischief. Every one was howling, and +yelling; and in the midst of them was an old woman, whose shouts +and shrill cries made her conspicuous in the scene. She was +encouraging and stimulating a number of men who were carrying a +beam to the house, which they evidently purposed to use as a +battering-ram, so as to burst open the door. + +The moment that David caught sight of this woman he shuddered, and +falling behind Ludlow, caught at his hand, and tried to pull him +back. Ludlow turned in surprise. + +"It's the same woman," said David, in an agitated voice, "who +chased me." + +"Is it?" said Ludlow, with a smile. "O, well, you've got me with +you now. So be a man.--cheer up, my boy. It's all right." + +Saying this, Ludlow again walked forward, this time keeping his +left hand on David's arm. David felt that it was not "all right," +but he had to follow Ludlow, and so he followed him into the midst +of the crowd. Working their way on through the people, they at last +came near to the door, and found themselves close by the men who +were carrying the beam. They had laid it on the ground, and were +hesitating for a moment. Overhead Ludlow heard the voice of the +landlord pleading with them in piteous tones. + +"O, good citizens! O, dear citizens! Don't destroy my furniture! +Don't ruin me! There is a mistake. On my honor, the strangers are +innocent." + +At this the old virago howled out some insane maledictions, and +urged the crowd on. Some on the outskirts yelled, and the old hag, +whirling around in the midst of her tirade, found herself face to +face with David. The terrified lad shrank back, and tried to hide +himself; but the old woman recognized him at once, and with a howl +sprang at him. + +Ludlow saw the movement. + +He put himself in front of David, and, seizing the old woman's arm +in a grasp like a vice, held her back, and asked her sternly, in +Italian,-- + +"Accursed one! what do you mean?" + +"O, citizens of Sorrento!" shrieked the hag. "O, pious citizens! +Help! This is the accursed boy! This is the sacrilegious one! the +blasphemer! the insulter of the Bambino! the--" + +"Silence!" roared Ludlow, in a voice of thunder. "Men of Sorrento, +is this the way you treat strangers? Does this mad thing govern +the city?" + +"The boy, the boy! the blasphemer! the sacrilegious! the accursed!" +shrieked the hag. And at her yells some of the mob seemed inclined +to respond. They were already ripe for mischief, and when the hag +diverted their attention to David, they felt quite ready to take +him in hand. So now a ring of dark faces was formed around Ludlow, +and the yells of the hag directed them to seize David. + +Ludlow pushed the hag from him, drew his revolver from his breast, +and took two strides towards the house, which was close by, dragging +David after him. Then he put his back against the wall, and holding +the revolver in an apparently careless manner, with its muzzle +turned towards the crowd, he once more opened his mouth. + +"Men of Sorrento!" said he, "what foolery is this? The woman is +mad. I have just come from Capri, with this boy. Many of you know +me, for I am often here; and now, when I come, am I to be insulted +by a madwoman? Are you--" + +"Seize him! seize the boy! the boy! the blasphemer!" yelled the hag. + +Ludlow placed his hand on David's head, and looked with a smile on +the crowd nearest. + +"Does her madness usually take this form, gentlemen?" he added; +"does she usually show this animosity to little boys and children?" + +At this question, which was asked in an easy and natural manner, +the crowd looked abashed. + +They began to think that the woman was crazy. Those to whom Ludlow +had spoken were the very men who had brought the beam but a few +minutes before. They now edged slowly away, and began to think that +they had done a very silly thing. + +"What's the trouble, signori?" asked Ludlow, in the same easy tone, +of those who were nearest. + +"Well, they say there are some people inside that desecrated the +church--some boys--" + +"What--boys?" said Ludlow, with a smile. "Who says so?" + +The men shrugged their shoulders. + +"She says so." + +Ludlow thereupon shrugged his shoulders. + +"Seize him! seize him! seize him!" yelled the hag, who all this +time had kept up her insane outcry. + +"Somebody had better seize _her_," said Ludlow, with a laugh. "Why, +gentlemen, she will give your town a very bad name." + +The crowd nearest had already undergone a revulsion of feeling. +The assault of the old woman on two harmless strangers seemed too +wanton to be tolerated. Ludlow's easy manner and calm language +restored them fully to their senses, and the sight of his revolver +effectually overawed the more excitable or reckless. They were also +jealous of the good name of the town, and now began to be enraged +with the old woman. A murmur passed through them. Curses were freely +lavished upon her, and the threats which but a short time ago had +been directed against the landlord and his guests, were now hurled +at her. The hag, however, in her fury, was quite unconscious of +all this, and continued to yell as before, endeavoring to hound +them on against David. But the crowd was now disgusted with her +and her yells. + +"Stop your diabolical yells!" cried an angry voice. "Go home, and +stay home, or you'll have a strait jacket put on you." + +The hag stopped short, as though thunderstruck, and looked around +with staring eyes. It was a young man who thus addressed her: he +was grasping her arm and looking savagely at her. Evidently he +was some relative, of whom she stood in awe, for with something +like a gasp she seemed to shrink into herself, and then, gathering +her clothes about her, slunk away through the crowd. + +Ludlow had often been at Sorrento before, and saw some familiar +faces among the people. These he accosted, and soon found out what +the trouble was. Although some of these very men had been howling +like maniacs a short time before, yet they now were as quiet, and +gentle, and amiable as lambs. They sneered at the old hag, deplored. +the excitement, and assured him that no harm had been done. + +Soon the crowd dispersed, and the landlord, who had been watching +the scene in deep anxiety, came down, opened the doors, and gave +Ludlow and David a most eager, exuberant, and enthusiastic welcome. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_More Troubles for poor David.--Onset of four Women.--Seized by an +old Crone and three Peasant Girls.--Fresh Horror of David.--A new +Uproar in the Yard of the Inn.--Uncle Moses bent double._ + + +Ludlow began to talk to the landlord about a conveyance to +Castellamare, and David walked through the house into the yard. +David's only desire now was to hurry on and join his friends as +soon as possible. He had not the remotest idea that they were in +Sorrento, and that the trouble had arisen about them, but fancied +that they were in Castellamare, full of anxiety about him. +Sympathizing with their anxiety, he longed to go to them, so as to +put an end to it; and seeing a carriage in the yard, he naturally +walked in that direction. Reaching, the yard he noticed that the +horses were in it, and that it was a barouche, like the one in +which his party had been travelling. Not for one moment did he +suppose that it was the same one, nor did he notice it very closely; +but giving it a careless glance, he looked around to see those to +whom it belonged. + +As David went out into the yard, the driver had just gone into the +barn to tell Uncle Moses and the boys that the trouble was over +and the crowd was dispersing. Their joy may be imagined. They were +just hastening from the barn to return to the hotel, and had just +reached the barn door when David approached. + +David was walking along towards the barn, looking around to see +where the people were, when suddenly he heard a wild cry, and saw +a figure rush straight towards him. It was a woman's figure, and +she appeared quite old. Like lightning, the thought flashed through +him that this was his old tormentor, the hag; and with a gasp he +started back, and was about to run. But the other was too quick +for him, and David felt himself seized by his dreaded enemy. This +dreaded enemy then behaved in a frantic way, hugging him and uttering +inarticulate words. David struggled to get free from her, and +throwing a frightened glance at her face, which was but partly +visible, beneath a very shabby bonnet, he saw that she was quite +old, and that tears were streaming down from her eyes. This frightened +David all the more, for now he was sure that she was insane. + +But now, to David's horror, he found himself surrounded by three +more women, in coarse dresses and horribly shabby bonnets. They +all made a simultaneous rush at him, seizing his hands and arms, +and seemed about to tear him to pieces. In vain he struggled. He +was helpless. A cold shudder passed through him, and a thrill of +horror tingled every nerve. + +All this had been the work of an instant. So sudden had been the +onset, and so overwhelmed was David with utter horror, that he +could not even scream for help. But at last he got his month open, +and was just about to give one piercing yell for help, when the +words were taken out of his mouth, and his voice stopped, and a +new and greater surprise created within him. + +"David! David! My boy! my boy!" moaned the first old woman. + +"Dave! You rascal! What do you mean by this?" cried woman +Number Two. + +"Dave! Old boy! What in the world is the meaning of this?" cried +woman Number Three. + +"Dave! How did you find us?" cried woman Number Four. + +"Where have you been?" "Where did you come from?" "When did you +get here?" "What made you go off?" "Did they seize you?" "Was it +the old woman that did it?" These questions, and scores of others, +came pouring forth into his astonished ears. As for David, he could +not utter one single word. At length the yearning affection of +Uncle Moses seemed to be satiated, and the boisterous greetings of +the boys exhausted, and one by one they released their grasp, and +allowed David to extricate himself. + +Thereupon David stood off at a little distance, and gazed at them +in mute amazement. The sight which they presented to his astonished +eyes was one which might have excited strong emotions in the breast +of any beholder. + +There stood Uncle Moses, his figure concealed under a tattered +gown, and his venerable head enfolded in a battered bonnet of +primeval style. + +There stood Frank, looking like a strapping peasant woman, with a +bonnet that was stuck on the top of his head like a man's hat. + +There stood Clive, looking like a pretty peasant girl, quite Italian +in his style, with a dress that was a trifle neater than the others. + +And there was Bob, an utter and unmitigated absurdity,--with s +dress that was tangled about his legs, and a bonnet that had no +crown. The four of them looked more like escaped lunatics than +anything else, and no sooner had David taken in the whole scene, +than he burst forth into a perfect convulsion of laughter. + +Thus far the disguise had possessed nothing but a serious character +in the minds of the wearers. By means of this disguise they had +hoped to escape, and the costumes, being thus a help to safety, +had been dignified in their eyes. But now, when the danger was +over, and safety assured, there was nothing to hide from their eyes +the unutterable absurdity, the inconceivable ludicrousness of their +appearance. As David's laugh burst forth, each turned his eyes upon +the other, and saw how it was. + +Then they all burst forth! It was a cataclysm of laughter. The boys +swayed backward and forward, and danced up and down, and shouted, +and yelled with laughter. Uncle Moses stood with his eyes shut and +his figure bent double. Frank stared at each one in succession, +and then at himself, giving a scream at each figure. Clive laughed +till he sank down; and Bob, flinging himself upon the ground in a +perfect paroxysm, rolled over and over, and kicked, and yelled, +and fairly howled in one prolonged and uproarious cachinnation. + +The uproar aroused the house. + +The driver hurried out of the barn and joined in the roar. + +The hostler followed him. + +The servants came from the hotel, and lent their voices. + +The landlord came out, and was at once seized with a convulsion. + +After the landlord came Ludlow. He didn't altogether understand +it; but he saw David, and he saw the four figures; and from what +the landlord had been telling him, he knew who they were. The +sight overwhelmed him. He opened his mouth. He burst forth. It was +tremendous. It was Olympian. It was the laughter of Homer's immortals. +It was a thunder-peal. It was too much. He could not keep his feet, +but sank down on the stone steps, and burying his face in his hands, +gave way utterly. + +Thus it Was, then, that David, the most solemn of boys, returned +to his distracted and anxious friends. + +At length the laughter ceased, and the costumes were set aside, +and they all sat in the dining-room, asking and giving explanations. +David had to tell the story of his adventures. The boys had to tell +about their search after him, and Ludlow had to tell the story of +his meeting with David at Capri. These mutual explanations had +nothing in them but what was pleasant, so that there was nothing +to detract from the joy of the occasion. + +And now Ludlow, finding the friends so happily reunited, pressed +them all to come over to Capri at once, and stay as long as they +felt inclined to. David's eyes sparkled at this, and the other +boys, who had fallen in love with Ludlow at first sight, were more +eager to go than they could tell. But Uncle Moses demurred. He felt +afraid of giving trouble, and thought they had better get back to +Naples. Ludlow, however, pooh-poohed his scruples, answered every +objection, and would not take any refusal whatever; so that the +result was, the final departure of the party for Capri. + +But before they went, several things had to be attended to. First +of all, they had to dismiss the driver. With the exception of his +sulk at Paestum, he had behaved admirably, and had been of immense +service to them in more than one hour of need. The consequence was, +that Uncle Moses gave him a reward so liberal that it elicited an +outburst of benedictions, thanks, and prayers for the future welfare +of the whole party. + +The other business was to see about the return of the boat which +David had taken. This, however, was arranged without difficulty. +Ludlow knew an honest fisherman who could be intrusted with the +task of returning the boat, and making explanations to the owner. +By this man they sent a sufficient sum to repay the owner for the +use of it. + +They engaged another boat to take them to Capri. A gentle breeze +wafted them over the intervening water, and they soon stood before +the artist's picturesque abode. Mrs. Ludlow received them all with +her brightest smile and warmest cordiality, and the boys soon began +to feel towards the artist and his wife as though they were near +and dear relations. They found the artist's cottage a perfect +storehouse of curiosities, and a museum of antiquities; they found +also that it was of large dimensions, and contained sufficient +accommodations for the party; and thus they were able to feel that +they were not a burden in any way on their warm-hearted friends. + +Ludlow took them all over the island, and showed them all that was +to be seen. He was not only an enthusiastic artist, but also an +antiquarian of no mean attainments; and while he could point out +to them the most beautiful spots on that lovely isle, he could also +talk learnedly about the ancient Capraea, and raise out of ancient +ruins theories about the pleasure-grounds of Tiberius. + +But the most wonderful thing which they found there was the famous +grotto, so familiar to all from the accounts of tourists, and from +the well-known description in Hans Andersen's Improvisatore. After +that glowing, poetic, and enthusiastic narrative, no other need be +attempted. Here they passed three or four days, and when at length +they bade adieu to the artist and his wife, it was with many sincere +regrets on both sides, and many earnest wishes that they might meet +again. + +After which they all went back to Naples. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_Vesuvius.--Ponies and Sticks.--Sand and Lava.--The rocky Steps.--The +rolling, wrathful Smoke-clouds.--The Volcano warns them off.--The +lost Boy.--A fearful Search.--A desperate Effort.--The sulphurous +Vapors.--Over the sliding Sands._ + + +The sight of Vesuvius from a distance had filled David with an +ardent desire to visit it, and all the rest shared this feeling. +Vesuvius was before them always. The great cloud of dense, black +smoke, which hung over it like a pall, was greater, and denser, +and blacker than usual. The crater was disturbed. There were rumbling +noises in its wondrous interior; and all around and all beneath +the volcano gave signs of an approaching eruption. Sometimes the +smoke, as it ascended from the crater, would tower up in the air +for thousands of feet, far into the sky, a black pillar, which at +the summit spread out on all sides, giving to the spectator the +vision of a colossal palm tree--the shape and the sign which is +the inevitable forerunner of an approaching eruption. At other +times the sulphur-laden clouds would hang low over the crest of +the mountain, and roll far down its sides, and envelop it in its +dense, black, voluminous folds. + +As yet, in spite of these appearances, the ascent might be made in +safety, though every day lessened the chances of an ascent by +increasing the danger. This they learned from Michael Angelo, their +guide, whom they had engaged to make the ascent; so they determined +to go without any farther delay. Accordingly, two days after their +excursion to Baiae, they set out, going first to Portici, where +they hired ponies to take them to the foot of the cone; each one +supplied himself with a good stout stick to assist his ascent, and +Michael Angelo went with them as general manager of the expedition. + +On riding, up they found the road good at first, but soon it +became somewhat rough. It left the fertile meadows and vineyards +at the base of the mountain, and ran over a wild, rocky country, +which looked, as Uncle Moses said, like the "abomination of +desolation." No verdure appeared, no houses, no flocks, and +herds--all was wild, and savage, and dismal. After passing over +these lava fields, the party reached what is called the "Hermitage" +--a kind of refreshment station near the foot of the cone. Resting +here, for a little way they proceeded on foot. The path was now +rugged and difficult, and ascended at so steep an angle that it +became rather climbing than walking. After a toilsome walk this +path ended at the foot of the cone. + +Here the mountain arose grandly before them, with its smoke-cloud +overhanging its steep sides, ascending from where they stood to +where the view was lost in smoke. At one part there was a surface +of loose sand, and at another wild, disordered heaps of crumbled +lava blocks. Over these last Michael Angelo led them, for these +blocks formed stepping-stones by which to make the ascent. A number +of men were here with chairs and straps, who offered them assistance; +but they all declined, even Uncle Moses choosing to rely on his +unassisted muscle. + +Then they began the ascent of the cone. The lava blocks were of +all sizes, and lay strewn loosely down the steep side. It was like +ascending a long, rough stairway, where all the steps are irregular. +It was laborious and tedious. Often they had to stop and rest. +Uncle Moses felt it most, and the boys had frequently to stop rather +on his account. But when they had traversed about two thirds of +the way, they began to grow more excited, and in Bob this excitement +was most evident. Thinking that the others would take sufficient +care of Uncle Moses, he started off alone, and soon was far up, +clambering over the rocks like a young chamois. + +Usually there is one side of the crater which is accessible. There +is almost always some wind which blows the smoke away, and on the +windward side the visitor can stand and breathe freely. On the +present occasion, however, there was little or no wind; and the +smoke, which was far denser than usual, gathered in thick, black +folds, and sometimes rolled down the sides of the cone, and hid +the crest from view. Michael Angelo expressed a fear that they +would not be able to reach the crest; and as they drew nearer, +every step showed that this fear was well founded. At last, when +they were within easy distance of it, there came rolling down a +cloud of smoke, so dense and so full of sulphurous vapor that they +all had to stop and cover their faces with their clothes. + +It was now evident that they could go no farther. They waited for +a time in great distress from the smoke. It rolled away at last, +yet still hovered near them, every little while moving threateningly +down, as though to drive them back, and prevent the crater from +desecration by human footsteps. They had evidently reached their +farthest limit, and could go no farther. + +But where was Bob? + +Scarcely had they discovered the impossibility of going farther +than this thought came to them. Where was Bob? He had left them +some time previously, and had gone far ahead of them. They had +expected every moment to come up with him. But there were no signs +of him anywhere. + +Frank called out with all his strength. David and Clive joined in +the cry. + +There was no response. + +Fear came to them--a sickening, awful fear. All shouted--the boys, +Uncle Moses, and Michael Angelo. + +Still there was no response. + +Again, and again, and yet again, they called, by this time in an +agony of apprehension; but to all these cries the surrounding +stillness gave forth not one answering sound. + +And the deep, dark, wrathful smoke-clouds rolled around, and above, +and downward, moving close to them, and over them, as though eager +to involve them in that dread fate which they feared had overwhelmed +the lost boy. + +"I can't stand this any longer!" cried Frank, at last. "I'll go +and hunt him up." + +"We'll all go," said David. + +"Wait," said Uncle Moses, as the boys were starting. "We must hunt +him up as we do in the woods. We can't tell where he is. Let's form +a line, an walk as nigh abreast of one another as we can get, an +yet far enough away to cover the ground. In that way well be more +likely to find him." + +At this the party formed themselves in a line, so that about twenty +or thirty feet intervened between each. The five thus extended for +a long distance. Michael Angelo was at the extreme right, next to +him was Uncle Moses, then Clive, then David, while Frank was on +the extreme left. In this way they determined to go as far forward +as the smoke would permit. The prospect was gloomy enough; but the +situation of Bob nerved them all to the effort. Besides, they were +encouraged by the fact that the smoke would sometimes retreat far +up, exposing the surface to the very crest of the crater. So they +advanced, clambering over the rough blocks, and drew nearer and +nearer to the summit. At length a heavy mass of black smoke came +rolling down. It touched them. It enveloped them. It folded itself +over them and under them. Each one fell flat on his face at Michael +Angelo's warning, and covered his mouth and nostrils with his +handkerchief, so as to keep out the sulphurous vapors. It was almost +suffocating; breathing was difficult and painful, and it seemed a +long time before the blackness of the darkness was mitigated. But +at last the smoke withdrew itself, and the whole party stood up, +and looked around painfully for one another, panting heavily, and +drawing laborious breaths. + +"You can't go any further," said Uncle Moses. "I ain't goin to +let you resk your lives, boys. You must all go back, an I'll go +for'ard." + +"No, uncle; I'll go," cried Frank. + +"And I," cried David. + +"And I," cried Clive. + +"None of you shall go," said Uncle Moses, firmly. "I tell you I'm +goin. I order you to stay here, or go back." Uncle Moses was deeply +agitated, and spoke with unaccustomed sternness. "Go back," he +said; "I'll find Bob, or leave myself there. Go back. D'ye hear?" + +He darted forward, and turned to wave his hand at the boys. But +Frank had already sprung upward, swiftly and eagerly. Onward he +went, going first to the left and then to the right. David and +Clive also rushed forward. Uncle Moses toiled after them, calling +on them to come back. Michael Angelo followed slowly, looking on +with a face of fearful apprehension. + +Frank was far ahead. He had come to a place where the lava blocks +ended, and the soil was sandy. Here he paused for an instant, and +took a swift glance around. He started. He had seen something. He +made a quick gesture and then sprang away to the right. + +All this had not taken many minutes. It was an act of desperation +on the part of Frank, but he was determined to save Bob or perish. +Fortunately the smoke did not descend just at that moment, but was +floating up from the summit, so that the edge of the crater could +be seen, with a dull yellow gleam, caused by the sulphur that lay +mingled with the sand. + +Frank had seen a prostrate figure. It lay on the sand beyond the +edge of the lava blocks. His first feeling was one of surprise that +Bob had succeeded in penetrating so far; his next was one of horror +for fear that he might be beyond the reach of help. With frantic +haste he rushed towards him, and reaching the spot, he raised Bob +in his arms. + +He was senseless! + +And now, as Frank stood there, close to the perilous edge, the +treacherous smoke, which had thus far held back, rolled down once +more. To face it was impossible. Frank flung himself down, and +buried his face as before, looking up from time to time to see if +the smoke was lessening. The time seemed protracted to a fearful +length. The dense fumes which penetrated through the thick folds +of the clothes which he held over his mouth nearly suffocated him. +He began to think that he, too, was doomed. + +And where were the others? + +Scattered, apart from one another--and thus they had been caught +by the rolling smoke. They could do only one thing, and that was +what they had done before. Uncle Moses alone refused to yield. He +tried to toil on so as to get nearer to his boys. He had a vague +idea of getting near to Frank, so as to die by his side. But physical +pain was stronger than the determination of his soul, and at length +he involuntarily flung himself down, and covered his face. + +But at last even that ordeal was passed. The smoke lifted. It rolled +away. There was air again for them to breathe. Frank roused himself +before the smoke had all passed, and lifting Bob in his arms, +carried him swiftly downward. He reached the place where Uncle +Moses was standing, gasping for breath; and the other boys who had +seen him hurried towards him, and tried to help him carry his +senseless burden. Uncle Moses also tried to take Bob in his own +arms, and prayed Frank, with tears in his eyes, to let him carry +him; but Frank refused them all, and insisted on doing it himself. +A few paces more, however, over the lava blocks, showed that Frank's +strength would not be sufficient for such a journey. He sank down +exhausted by his excessive exertions, and waited a few moments to +take breath. + +While he was thus recovering his breath, Michael Angelo reached +the spot, and explained that there was another place of descent +not far off, and led the way towards it. Here they found the side +of the cone all covered with loose sand. Down this they went. At +every step they sank in up to their ankles, and the sliding soil +bore them down, so that for every step they took they were carried +the length of two or three steps. + +Frank clung to Bob till he had got beyond the reach of the smoke, +and then he fell backward, gasping for breath. The others scrambled +towards him, eager to help him; and Michael Angelo, who had exerted +himself the least of all, and was fresher than any of them, raised +Bob in his arms, and said that he would take care of him now. At +this Frank gave up his precious burden, and resuming their descent, +they were soon at the foot of the cone. + +Here they sat down, and Bob was laid upon the sand. With trembling +hands they felt for his heart, and found, to their unspeakable, +joy, that it was still beating. There was no water near; but they +chafed his feet and hands, and did what they could. For a long time +their efforts were unavailing; but at last Bob opened his eyes, +and drawing a long, breath, looked around him with a face full of +astonishment. + +"What's--the--matter?" he murmured, in a feeble voice. + +At this tears of joy flowed into the eyes of Uncle Moses, and his +lips murmured inaudible words of prayerful gratitude. + +"O, nothing," said Frank, who by this time had completely recovered +from his fatigue. "Nothing of any consequence. Don't bother. You'll +be all right soon." + +Bob seemed too weak to say much, and even to think. He lay there +in silence, and with an expression of bewilderment on his face, +evidently trying to collect his scattered faculties, so as to +account for his present situation. + +And now, the question was how to get Bob home. The men with chairs +and straps had gone away, so that this mode of conveyance seemed +denied them. After waiting a short time, however, they saw a +party approaching who were evidently about to try the ascent. +They consisted of ladies and gentlemen, and were accompanied by +some chair and strap men. Seeing Bob and his friends, they made +inquiries; and on learning what had happened, the ladies refused +to make the ascent on so unfavorable a day, but preferred postponing +it to a more auspicious time. Michael Angelo therefore was able +to obtain one of the chairs for Bob; and setting him upon it, +they carried him towards the Hermitage, where they arrived without +any further mishap. + +Here Bob grew rapidly better, and was able to tell his story. + +He had felt very anxious to see the crater, and equally anxious to +see it first. Taking advantage of a time when the smoke had retreated, +he had made a rush, and had just attained the very edge of the +crater, when suddenly he found himself overwhelmed by a tremendous +cloud of smoke. To resist it, or to endure it in any way, was +impossible. He thought only of flight He turned mechanically, and +ran, with this idea of flight alone in his mind. That was all he +remembered. He must have run for at least a hundred feet, for that +was about the distance which lay between the summit and the place +where he was found. + +Michael Angelo started off and got a carriage, by means of which +Bob was taken to Naples. He did not seem to have suffered any very +serious injury; but for some days he was quite languid and miserable, +and complained of a taste of sulphur in his mouth; his coat, too, +which on going up was of a dark-blue color, had become quite faded, +from the action of the powerful sulphurous fumes. + +On the whole, Bob, as well as the rest of the party, had ample +reason to feel thankful. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +_Pompeii, the City of the Dead.--The Monuments of the Past.--Temples, +Towers, and Palaces.--Tombs and Monuments.--Theatres and +Amphitheatres.--Streets and Squares._ + + +A few days after their ascent of Vesuvius, the whole party started +off to visit Pompeii. The prospect of this journey gave them +unusual delight. Bob had now completely recovered his health and +spirits. Clive's poetic interest in so renowned a place was roused +to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. David's classical taste was +stimulated. Frank's healthy love of sight-seeing was excited by +the thought of a place that so far surpassed all others in interest; +and Uncle Moses evidently considered that this was the one thing +in Europe which could repay the traveller for the fatigues of a +pilgrimage. Thus each, in his own way, felt his inmost heart stirred +within him as they approached the disentombed city; and at length, +when they reached the entrance to the place, it is difficult to +say which one felt the strongest excitement. + +They found a number of other visitors there, consisting of +representatives of all nations--Russians, Germans, Americans, +French, and English; ladies, gentlemen, and boys. Michael Angelo +was with them, and was more useful to them than any mere guide-book +could have been. + +The first emotions of awe which filled their minds as they entered +the streets of the mysterious city gradually faded away, and they +began to examine everything with great interest. The first thing +that struck their attention was the extreme narrowness of the +streets. There was only room for one carriage to pass at a time. +The sidewalks were a foot higher than the carriage-way. There were +crossing-stones that stood high above the pavement. The sidewalks +were paved with brick, and the carriage-way with lava blocks, which +were very neatly joined together. Clive took a piece of brick as +a relic, and David broke off a fragment from one of the +crossing-stones for the same purpose. + +They soon came to a ruined edifice, which Michael Angelo called +the Basilica. It was two hundred feet in length, and seventy in +width. At one end still remained the Tribunal or Seat of Justice, +seven feet above the pavement; and all around the walls were +columns formed of brick, covered with plaster. The boys picked off +some of the plaster as relics. + +Leaving this, they went on and came to another ruined edifice, +which Michael Angelo called the Temple of Venus. It was built +round a courtyard, with porticos. Here David and Clive obtained +some more relics. + +Beyond this was an open square surrounded by pillars, of which only +the lower parts remained. This was the Forum Civile; and beyond +this stood the Temple of Jupiter, which they visited without finding +anything that was particularly interesting. After this Michael +Angelo took them to a place which he said was the Public Bakery. +Here they saw millstones, ovens, water-vessels, and some other +articles of which they could not guess the use. Not far away were +some bakers' shops. In these shops loaves of bread were found by +the diggers. Of course they were burned to charcoal; but they +retained their original shape, and showed marks upon them which +were probably intended to indicate the bakery from which they came. +Heaps of corn were also found. + +Going down the street where these were situated, they came to one +of the gates of the city. Beside this was a niche in the wall, +used as a sentry-box, upon which, all the party gazed with a profound +interest; for in that sentry-box those who disentombed the city +found a skeleton, in the armor and with the equipment of a Roman +soldier. Evidently the sentry had died at his post. + +They took a good look at the walls here, which they found to be +about twenty-five feet high, and formed of huge stones, that were +joined together without cement. The gates had evidently been double. + +Passing through this gate, they found themselves outside the city, +in what Michael Angelo called the "Street of Tombs." Looking down +it, they noticed a number of edifices of a monumental character, +lining it on either side. These were the tombs of wealthy citizens. +They visited several of them, and found them all alike. The interiors +were all simple, the walls being pierced with niches, in which were +deposited the urns that held the ashes of the dead. This was the +first time that they had seen anything of this kind, and they +examined it with deep and solemn interest. Here, too, Clive and +David succeeded in finding some relics in the shape of some burnt +fragments of human bones. + +After this Michael Angelo led them to what was once the finest +mansion of the city, now known as the Villa of Diomede. They entered +here, and wandered through the halls, and rooms, and courtyards. +They saw rich mosaic pavements; the basins of what once were +fountains; the lower parts of marble pillars that once belonged to +stately colonnades. They saw some rooms that once had been used +for cold baths, and others that had been used for vapor baths. +Dining-rooms, reception-rooms, bed-rooms, kitchens, libraries, +opened up all around, and told them of that vanished past which +had once peopled all these apartments with busy human life. Far +more than basilicas, or temples, or streets, or walls, were they +affected by this glimpse into the home of a household; and they +traversed that deserted home in eloquent silence. After going +through all the house, they descended into the cellars. These were +very spacious, and extended beneath the entire villa. Here, at +one end, they saw what is called the Wine Cellar. Many wine jars +were standing there--huge earthen vessels, as large as a hogshead, +with wide mouths and round bottoms, which made it impossible for +them to stand erect, unless they were placed against some support. +In these wine jars there was now no wine, however, but only dust +and ashes. + +Here Michael Angelo had much to tell them. + +He told them that several skeletons had been found in these vaults, +belonging to hapless wretches who had, no doubt, fled here to escape +the storm of ashes which was raging above. One of these skeletons +had a bunch of keys in its bony fingers; and this circumstance led +some to suppose that it was the skeleton of Diomede himself; but +others thought that it belonged to his steward. Whoever he was, he +had fled here only to meet his doom, and to leave his bones as a +memorial to ages in the far distant future. + +Leaving this place, they visited another house, which is called +the Villa of Caius Sallust. At one corner of the house they saw +something which at once struck them all as being rather singular. +It was nothing else than a shop, small in size, fitted up with +shelves and counters; a row of jars was fixed on one side, and in +the rear were furnaces. Michael Angelo informed them that it had +once been an eating-house. The boys thought it excessively odd that +the occupants of such a house--people, too, who bore such a name +as Sallust--should tolerate such an establishment; but there was +the undeniable fact before their eyes. Afterwards their surprises +diminished; For in many other houses in Pompeii--they found shops +of the same kind, and saw that the ancient Pompeians were not above +trade; and that, if they did not keep the shops themselves, they +were at least very willing to hire the fronts of their houses to +other parties who did wish to do so. In Sallust's house they saw +the traces of very elegant ornaments, and learned from Michael +Angelo that many of the articles discovered here showed that it +must once have been the abode of a luxurious and refined family. + +The elegant house of the Dioscuri was visited next. It is in the +Via dei Mercurii, and is a very interesting and extensive ruin, +and contains some handsome fresco paintings. After this they visited +many other houses, a description of which is not necessary; they +were all like the Villa of Diomede, though less interesting; and +among them all there was the same general character. In all these +only the lower stories remained, though in a few a small part of +the second story was visible. + +As the chief part of the Pompeian house was on the ground floor, +the loss of the upper story did not make any particular difference. +Among these they found another temple, called the Pantheon--a large +edifice, which showed signs of great former beauty. It was two +Hundred and thirty feet long, and nearly two hundred feet wide. An +altar is still standing, around which are twelve pedestals, upon +which once stood twelve statues. A few houses and temples followed, +after which Michael Angelo informed them that he was about to take +them to one of the greatest curiosities in the city. + +The building to which he led them was in much better preservation +than the majority of the edifices in Pompeii, though not nearly so +large as many that they had seen. It was about sixty feet wide, +and a little longer, being nearly square in shape, and was evidently +a temple of some kind. + +"What is this?" asked David. + +"This is the Temple of Isis," said Michael Angelo. + +"The Temple of Isis!" exclaimed David, in eager excitement. "Is +it, indeed!" and he looked around with a face full of intense +interest. Hitherto, though all the boys had shown much interest, +yet, David had surpassed them all in his enthusiasm. This was +partly on account of his taste for classical studies, and his love +for all connected with classical antiquity, but more especially +from the fact that he had very recently read Bulwer's _Last +Days of Pompeii_; and on this occasion that whole story, with all +its descriptions and all its incidents, was brought vividly before +him by the surrounding scene. Most of all was the Temple of Isis +associated with that story, and it seemed more familiar to him than +anything else that he had found in the city. Glaucus and Ione, the +Christian Olynthus, and the dark Arbaces seemed to haunt the place. +In one of the chambers of this very temple, as Michael Angelo was +now telling,--even while leading the way to that chamber,--had +been found a huge skeleton, with an axe beside it; two walls had +been beaten through by that axe, but the desperate fugitive could +go no farther. In another part of the city had been found, another +skeleton, carrying a bag of Coins and some ornaments of this Temple +of Isis. David listened to Michael Angelo's account with strange +interest, for it seemed to him as though the fabled characters of +Bulwer's story were endowed with actual reality by Michael Angelo's +prosaic statements. + +After inspecting the chamber just mentioned, they were taken to a +place where they saw what had once been the pedestal of a statue. +Here Michael Angelo showed them a hollow niche, which was so +contrived that one might conceal himself there, and speak words +which the ignorant and superstitious populace might believe to come +from the idol's own stony lips. This one thing showed the full +depth of ancient ignorance and superstition; and over this Michael +Angelo waxed quite eloquent, and proceeded to deliver himself of +a number of impressive sentences of a highly important character, +which he uttered with that fluent volubility peculiar to the whole +race of guides, ciceroni, and showmen, in all parts of the world. +These moral maxims were part of Michael Angelo's regular routine, +and the moment that he found himself here in this Temple of Isis, +the stream of wisdom would always begin to flow. + +The next place to which Michael Angelo intended to take them was +the amphitheatre, which could be seen from where they were standing. +All this time David had been more eager than any of the others, +and far more profoundly moved. He felt his soul stirred to its +inmost depth by the thrilling scenes through which he had been +moving. It seemed to him as though there were revealed here to +his eyes, in one glance, all that he had been laboriously acquiring +from books by the study of years. But this was better than books. +These Roman houses, into which he could walk, were far better than +any number of plans or engraved prints, however accurately done. +These temples afforded an insight into the old pagan religion better +far than volumes of description. These streets, and shops, and +public squares, and wall, and gates, and tombs, all gave him an +insight into the departed Roman civilization that was far fresher, +and more vivid, and more profound, than any that he had ever gained +before. It seemed to him that one day was too small for such a +place. He must come again and again, he thought. He was unwilling +to go on with the rest, but lingered longer than any over each +spot, and was always the last to quit any place which they visited. + +They stopped on their way at the Tragic and Comic Theatres, and +at length reached the Amphitheatre itself. This edifice is by +far the largest in the city, and is better preserved than any. +It is built of large blocks of a dark volcanic stone, and +constructed in that massive style which the Romans lived, and of +which they have left the best examples in these huge amphitheatres. +As this Amphitheatre now stands, it might still serve for one of +those displays for which it was built. Tier after tier those +seats arise, which once had accommodations for fifteen or twenty +thousand human beings. On these, it is said, the Pompeians were +seated when that awful volcanic storm burst forth by which the +city was rained. Down from these seats they fled in wildest +disorder, all panic-stricken, rushing down the steps, and crowding +through the doorways, trampling one another under foot, in that +mad race for life; while overhead the storm gathered darker and +darker, and the showers of ashes fell, and the suffocating +sulphuric vapors arose, and amid the volcanic storm the lightnings +of the sky flashed forth, illuminating all the surrounding gloom +with a horrid lustre, and blending with the subterranean rumblings +of the earthquake the thunder of the upper air. + +From this cause the Amphitheatre may be considered the central spot +of interest in Pompeii. What little has been told of the fate of +the city gathers around this place, and to him who sits upon those +seats there is a more vivid realization of that awful scene than +can be obtained anywhere else. + +On reaching the Amphitheatre they seated themselves on the stone +steps, about half way up the circle of seats, and each one gave +way to the feelings that filled him. They had walked now for hours, +and all of them felt somewhat wearied, so that the rest on these +seats was grateful. Here they sat and rested. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +_Lofty classical enthusiasm of David, and painful Lack of feeling +on the Part of Frank.--David, red hot with the Flow of the Past, +is suddenly confronted with the Present.--The Present dashes Cold +Water upon his glowing Enthusiasm.--The Gates.--Minor, Aeacus, and +Rhadamanthus.--The Culprits._ + + +As they thus rested on the seats of the Amphitheatre, the classical +enthusiasm of David rose superior to fatigue, and his enthusiastic +feelings burst forth without restraint, in a long and somewhat +incoherent rhapsody about the fell of Pompeii. Full before them, +as they sat, rose Vesuvius; and they saw that which helped them to +reproduce the past more vividly, for even now the dense, dark cloud +of the volcano was gathering, and the thick smoke-volumes were +rolling forth from the crater. Far into the heavens the smoke clouds +arose, ascending in a dark pillar till they reached the upper strata +of the atmosphere, where they unfolded themselves, and spread out +afar--to the east, and the west, and the north, and the south. Some +such appearance as this the mountain may have had, as it towered +gloomily before the Pompeians on that day of days. Some such scene +as this may have appeared, only deepened into terrors a thousand +fold more gloomy, to the population of the doomed city, as they +gathered here on these seats for the last time. + +Such were the ideas of David Clark; and these ideas he poured +forth in a long rhapsody, full of wild enthusiasm. At length, +however, that enthusiasm flagged, and he was compelled to stop +for want of breath. + +"O, that's all very fine," said Frank, suddenly, as David stopped, +and breaking the silence which had followed his eloquent +outburst,--"that's all very fine, of course. You have a habit, +David, my son, of going into raptures over old bones and old stones, +but after all, I'd just like to ask you one question." + +"What's that?" asked David, a little sharply. + +"Why, this. Has this place, after all, come up to your idea?" And +Frank looked at him with very anxious eyes. + +"This place?" said David. "What, Pompeii? Come up to my idea? Why, +of course it has. What makes you ask such a question as that? I +never spent such a day in all my life." + +"Well, for my part," said Frank, in a very candid tone, "I'll be +honest. I confess I'm disappointed." + +And saying this, Frank shook his head defiantly, and looked at all +the other boys, with the air of one who was ready and willing to +maintain his position. + +"Disappointed!" exclaimed David, in an indescribable tone, in which +reproach, astonishment, and disgust were all blended together. + +"Yes," said Frank, firmly, "disappointed--utterly, completely, and +tee-totally. I'll tell you what my idea was. My idea was, that the +streets would be streets, in the first place. Well, they're not +_streets_ at all. They're mere _lanes_. They're nothing more than +_foot-paths_. Secondly, my idea was, that the houses would be +_houses_. Well, they're not. They're old ruins; heaps of dust and +bricks--" + +"Nonsense!" interrupted David, in indignant tones. "How could the +houses be standing after being buried for so many centuries? You +forget what a tremendous weight of ashes, and stones, and earth, +lay upon their roofs. Houses! Why, did you expect to find couches +to lie on? or chairs--" + +"Well," said Frank, "my quarrel with Pompeii doesn't end here. +For, you see, even if the houses were whole and uninjured, +what would they be? Poor affairs enough. Just think how small +they are. Rooms ten by twelve. Narrow passage-ways for halls, +that'll scarcely allow two people to pass each other. The +rooms are closets. The ceilings were all low. And then look +at the temples. I expected to find stone walls and marble +columns. But what have I found? Nothing but shams--pillars +built of bricks, and plastered over to resemble marble. Do +you call that the right style of thing? Why, at home we sneer +at lath-and-plaster Gothic. Why should we admire lath-and-plaster +Greek because it's in Pompeii? Then, again, look at the Forums +--miserable little places that'll only hold about fifty people." + +"Pooh!" said David; "as if they didn't know what was large enough!" + +"I don't doubt that they knew it," said Frank. "But what I say +is, that if these were large enough for them, what a poor lot they +must have, been!" + +"After all," said David, "Pompeii was not a great city. It was only +a small city. You expect to find here the magnificence of Rome." + +"No, I don't. I merely expect to find something that'll carry out +the promise of those pictures that they make of scenes in Pompeii. +Why, there isn't anything in the whole town, except, perhaps, this +place, that looks large enough for an ordinary person to move about +in. Look at the walls--miserable things twenty feet high. Look at +the streets--only wide enough for a single cart. Look at the +sidewalks--only wide enough for a single man. The only thing in +the whole town that comes up to my idea is the Amphitheatre. This +is respectable. It corresponds with the pictures, and the descriptions +of travellers. But as to all the rest, I have only to remark that +they are, first, mean; secondly, small; and thirdly, in outrageously +bad taste." + +Frank ceased, and looked steadfastly at David. + +David looked at Frank, but his feelings were too strong for utterance. +His indignation at this desecration of a place that was so hallowed +in his eyes could not be expressed. He turned his face away in +silent scorn, and fixed his gaze on Vesuvius. + +They waited a long time, and when at length they prepared to leave +Pompeii, it was late in the day. All the other visitors had left +long before, and they were the last in the city. They walked along +looking round them till the last, and at length reached the entrance. +Michael Angelo went off to get the carriage. They waited a little +while to take a last look, and then passed through the gate. Here +they found themselves confronted by three officials, the custodians +of the place. + +One of these addressed them in very fair English. + +"Messieurs," said he, "before you leave, I haf to inquire--Deed +you take anyting out from Pompeii?" + +"Take anything?" said Uncle Moses, in an indignant voice. "What +do you mean?" + +"A tousand pardons, sare," said the other, politely. "It ees a +formaletee. I mean de leetle stones, de pieces of steek, wood, +plastair. Ha! De reliques, de souvenirs." + +He was rather an unpleasant looking man, with a very sallow face, +high cheek-bones, and a heavy goatee on the tip of his chin, which +wagged up and down as he talked in quite a wonderful way. + +"Stones, sticks, plaster?" said Uncle Moses. "Course not." + +The official looked intently at him, and then at the boys. After +this he conversed with his companion in Italian. These companions +were quite as unprepossessing in their appearance as himself. Then +the first speaker turned to the boys. + +"You, sare," said he to Frank, in rather an unpleasant tone, "haf +you de stones or de bones?" + +"Not a stone, not a bone," said Frank, smilingly. "I did take a +few at first, but I pitched them away." + +"And you, sare?" said he to Bob. + +"Don't deal in such articles," said Bob, with a grin--"not in my +line--not my style." + +"Pardon," said the official, with a sickly smile, "but I must put +de usual interrogatoree. You, sare?" and he addressed himself to +David. + +David turned pale. + +He hesitated for a moment. + +"Well," said he, "I believe I _have_ got a few little stones, just +two or three, you know; little relics, you know." + +"Ah! ver good, ver nais," said the official, with the sunshine of +perfect content illuminating his sallow features. "And you, sare?" +he continued, turning to Clive. + +"Well, yes," said Clive, "I've got a few, I believe; but they really +don't amount to anything in particular." + +"O, no, not at all," said the Italian; "dey don't amount to notin; +but look you, de govairement haf made de law dat no pairson will +take no stone, nor steek, nor relique, nor bone, nor souvenir, from +Pompeii. You mus geef dem all oop." + +"Why? They're only two or three," pleaded David, in a heartbroken +voice. + +"So, dat is eet. Look you. Eet ees de law. O, yais. I cannot help. +Everybody will take two or tree. Very well. Ten tousand, twenty +tousand, hundred tousand come here every year, and all take away +hundred tousand pocket full. Ah, ha! See you? What den? Why, den +all Pompeii be carried away. Aha! dat great shame. Too bad, hey? +ha? You ondstand. So you sall gif dem all oop into my hand." + +David and Clive remonstrated most vehemently, but the official was +obdurate. He pleaded the law. He insisted on the full restoration +of everything. + +So the two lads began to disgorge, with the following result:-- + + 1 piece of brick from the Sidewalk. + 1 bit of stone, Street. + 1 stucco, Basilica. + 1 do. Temple Venus. + 1 do. Forum. + 1 do. Temple Jupiter. + 1 bit of stone, Public Bakery. + 1 do. Sentry box. + 1 do. Wall. + 1 do. Gateway. + 1 do. Street Tombs. + 1 do. Villa Diomede. + 1 do. do. + 1 bone, Sepulchre. + 1 do. do. + 1 package dust, do. + 1 do. Villa Sallust. + 1 do. do. + 1 pebble, Eating House. + 1 do. House of Dioscuri. + 1 bit of plaster, Pantheon. + 1 do. Temple Mercury. + 1 do. do. Isis. + 1 brick, Tragic Theatre. + 1 do. Comic Theatre. + 1 stone, Amphitheatre. + 1 do. do. + +The above is by no means a complete inventory of, the articles +produced by Clive and David, but will serve to give an idea of the +nature of that heap which was spread upon the table before the +stern officials. One by one they were turned out from the well-filled +pockets of David and Clive. Slowly and reluctantly, the two boys +turned out those precious treasures. Sadly and mournfully they laid +them on the table, under the stern, the inflexible, the relentless +gaze of the three inexorable custodians, who, to David's mind, +seemed the impersonations of Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus. Yea, +all these, and many more,--fragments from houses, bits of mosaic +stone, little chips,--all were seized, and all were confiscated. +Not a word was spoken. It was a sorrow too strong for words; and +Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus stood, individually and collectively, +inflexible and inexorable. The rueful countenances of the two +culprits excited the sympathy and pity of their companions; but it +seemed a case where no help could avail them. Frank and Bob looked +upon the scene with a strong desire to interfere in some way, and +Uncle Moses looked quite as distressed as either David or Clive. +Suddenly a new actor entered upon the scene. + +It was Michael Angelo. + +He came in with a quick step, started as he noticed the sadness on +the faces of his party, and then threw a rapid glance around. One +glance was sufficient to show plainly enough what had happened. He +saw the table covered with the stones and bones already described. +He saw the heart-broken expression that was stamped upon the faces +of David and Clive as they gazed upon their parting treasures. He +saw the attitude and the expression of Uncle Moses, and Frank, and +Bob, as they watched their friends. + +That one glance not only explained all to Michael Angelo, but +suggested to him a course of conduct upon which he instantly +proceeded to act. + +He stepped up to the aide of Rhadamanthus, and accosting him in +Italian; he spoke a few words in a low voice. What he said was, of +course, unintelligible to the boys. After these few words, Michael +Angelo then slipped something into the hand of the inexorable one. + +Then he turned to the despairing boys. + +"It's all right," said Michael Angelo, cheerily. "I haf explained. +You may keep de tings." + +David and Clive looked up, and stared at Michael Angelo in wonder, +not fully comprehending him. + +"It's all right," said Michael Angelo. "Dey onderstand. I haf +explained. You put dem back into your pocket. You sall keep de +tings. It's all right. Dey are yours now. It's all r-r-r-r-right. +All r-r-r-r-right, I say." + +David and Clive still hesitated, and looked at Rhadamanthus. + +Rhadamanthus gazed benignantly at them, smiled a gracious smile, +and waved his hands with the air of a judge dismissing a case. + +"All r-r-right," said Rhadamanthus; "he haf explained." + +This language was somewhat unintelligible. What there was to be +explained they could not imagine. If the law prohibited the carrying +off of relics from Pompeii, no amount of "explanation" could give +them a claim to their unlawful possessions. But neither David nor +Clive was at all inclined to hesitate about the legality of their +possessions, or to make any inquiries about the nature of the +explanation which had been made by Michael Angelo. It was joy enough +for them to know that the difficulty was over, and that the relics +were theirs once more. + +So the pile of relics went back from that table into the pockets +of David and Clive with a rapidity that is inconceivable. Away from +their faces passed that heart-broken expression which had been upon +them; the shadows passed away from their brows, the sunshine of +joy and exultation overspread them, and they looked at Michael +Angelo in silent gratitude. + +A few minutes more and they were-in the carriage. + +Then David asked Michael Angelo how it was that he had changed the +stern resolve of the inexorable Rhadamanthus into such easy, +gracious, and good-tempered indulgence. + +Michael Angelo laughed. + +"I gif him," said he, "just one half dollar. Dat was what he wanted +all de time. Aftaire dees you know what to do. All r-r-right. Ha, +ha, ha, ha, ha!" + +And Michael Angelo burst into a peal of laughter. + +Upon this Uncle Moses began to moralize about the corrupt morals +of the Italian race, and went on to speak of tyranny, priestcraft, +slavery, aristocracy, monarchy, primogeniture, brigandage, and ten +thousand other things. + +And the carriage rolled back to Naples. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +_The Glories of Naples.--The Museum.--The Curiosities.--How they +unroll the charred Manuscripts exhumed from Herculaneum and +Pompeii.--On to Rome.--Capua.--The Tomb of Cicero.--Terracina.--The +Pontine Marshes.--The Appii Forum._ + + +The party remained in Naples some time longer, and had much to see. +There was the Royal Museum, filled with the treasures of antique +art, filled also with what was to them far more interesting--the +numerous articles exhumed from Herculaneum and Pompeii. Here were +jewels, ornaments, pictures, statues, carvings, kitchen utensils, +weights, measures, toilet requisites, surgical instruments, arms, +armor, tripods, braziers, and a thousand other articles, the +accompaniments of that busy life which had been so abruptly stopped. +All these articles spoke of something connected with an extinct +civilization, and told, too, of human life, with all its hopes, +fears, joys, and sorrows. Some spoke of disease and pain, others +of festivity and joy; these of peace, those of war; here were the +emblems of religion, there the symbols of literature. + +Among all these, nothing was more interesting than the manuscript +scrolls which had been found in the libraries of the better houses. +These looked like anything rather than manuscripts. They had all +been burned to a cinder, and looked like sticks of charcoal. But +on the first discovery of these they had been carefully preserved, +and efforts had been made to unroll them. These efforts at first +were baffled; but at last, by patience, and also by skill, a method +was found out by which the thing might be done. The manuscripts +were formed of Egyptian papyrus--a substance which, in its original +condition, is about as fragile as our modern paper; the sheets were +rolled around a stick, and were not over eight inches in width, +and about sixteen feet in length. The stick, the ornaments, and +the cases had perished, but the papyrus remained. Its nature was +about the same as the nature of a scroll of paper manuscript would +be after passing through the fire. Each thin filament, as it was +unrolled, would crumble into dust. Now, this crumbling was arrested +by putting over it a coating of tough, gelatinous substance, over +which a sheet of muslin was placed, the gelatinous substance acting +also upon the charred sheet in such a way as to detach it from the +rest of the scroll. In this way it was unrolled slowly and carefully, +two inches at a time, and on being unrolled a facsimile copy was +at once made. Of course there was no attempt to preserve the +manuscripts; they were, too perishable; and after a short exposure, +just long enough to admit of a copy being made, they shrank up and +crumbled away. + +There were other places of attraction in this beautiful city--the +Villa Reale, the chosen promenade of the Neapolitans, which stretches +along the shore, filled with trees, and shrubbery, and winding +paths, and flower-beds, and vases, and statues, and sculptures, +and ponds, and fountains, and pavilions. There was the Castle of +St. Elmo, with its frowning walls; the Cathedral of San Francisco, +with its lofty dome and sweeping colonnades; and very many other +churches, together with palaces and monuments. + +But at last all this came to an end, and they left Naples far Rome. +They had a carriage to themselves, which they had hired for the +journey, and the weather was delightful The road was smooth and +pleasant, the country was one of the fairest on earth, and as they +rolled along they all gave themselves up to the joy of the occasion. +They passed through a region every foot of which was classic ground. +Along their way they encountered amphitheatres, aqueducts, tombs, +and other monuments of the past, some in ruins, others still erect +in stately though melancholy grandeur. Capua invited them to +tarry--not the ancient Capua, but the modern, which, though several +miles distant from the historic city, has yet a history of its own, +and its own charms. But among all these scenes and sights which +they encountered, the one that impressed them most was Cicero's +tomb. It is built on the spot where he was assassinated, of immense +stones, joined without cement. In shape it is square, but the +interior is circular, and a single column rises to the vaulted +roof. Of course whatever contents there may have been have long +since been scattered to the winds; no memorial of the great orator +and patriotic statesman is visible now; but the name of Cicero +threw a charm about the place, and it seemed as though they were +drawn nearer to the past. The boys expressed their feelings in +various ways, and David, who was most alive to the power of classical +associations, delivered, verbatim, about one half of the first +oration of Cicero against Catiline. He would have delivered the +whole of it, and more also, beyond a doubt, had not Frank put a +sudden stop to his flow of eloquence by pressing his hand against +David's mouth, and threatening to gag him if he didn't "stop it." + +On the afternoon of the second day they arrived at Terracina. This +town is situated on the sea-shore, with the blue Mediterranean in +front, stretching far away to the horizon. Far out into the sea +runs the promontory of Circaeum,--familiar to the boys from their +studies in Homer and Virgil,--while over the water the white sails +of swift-moving vessels passed to and fro. The waves broke on the +strand, fishing-boats were drawn up on the beach, and there were +wonderful briskness and animation in the scene. + +Terracina, like all other towns in this country, has remains of +antiquity to show. Its Cathedral is built from the material of a +heathen temple, probably that of Apollo, which was once a magnificent +edifice, but is now in ruins. But it was the modern beauty of the +town, rather than this or any, other of its antiquities, that most +attracted the boys,--the sea-beach, where the waters of the +Mediterranean rippled and plashed over the pebbles; the groves and +vineyards, that extended all around; the wooded hills; the orange +trees and the palm, the thorny cactus and the aloe; and above all, +the deep, azure sky, and the clear, transparent atmosphere. To the +intoxication of all this surrounding beauty they gave themselves +up, and wandered, and scrambled, and raced, and chased one another +about the slumberous town. + +They slept soundly that night, lolled to rest by the long roll of +the Mediterranean waters, as they dashed upon the beach, and on +the following morning resumed their journey. The road now passed +through the Pontine Marshes, and they all entered upon this part +of their journey with strong feelings of curiosity. + +The district which goes by the name of the Pontine Marshes is one +of the most famous places in Europe. It is about forty-five miles +long, and varies in breadth from four to eleven miles. The origin +of these marshes is not known. In the early ages of the republic +of Rome numerous cities are mentioned as existing here. But all +these gradually became depopulated; and now not a vestige remains +of any one of them. From a very remote period numerous efforts were +put forth to reclaim these lands. When the famous Appian Way was +constructed through, them, they were partially drained. Afterwards +a canal was formed, which ran by the road-side; and of this canal +Horace speaks in the well-known account of his journey to Brundusium. +Julius Caesar intended, among other great works, to enter upon the +task of reclaiming them; but his death prevented it. Under various +successive emperors, the attempt was made, and continued, until at +last, in the reign of Trajan, nearly all the district was recovered. +Afterwards it fell to ruin, and the waters flowed in once more. +Then they remained neglected for ages, down to modern times. Various +popes attempted to restore them, but without success, until at last +Pope Pius VI. achieved the accomplishment of the mighty task in +the year 1788, ever since which time the district has been under +cultivation. + +The road was a magnificent one, having been built on the foundations +of the ancient Appian Way. It was lined on each side with trees, +and was broad and well paved. It is considered one of the finest +in Europe. Along this they rolled, the blue sky above them, on the +right hand the mountains, on the left the sea. The air was damp +and chill; but at first they did not feel it particularly, though +Uncle Moses complained of "rheumatics," and took precautionary +measures against his insidious enemy by wrapping himself up warmly. +As they went on they saw crowds of peasants coming to work in the +fields. These peasants lived in the hill country on the right, and +had to walk a great distance to get to their place of labor,--for +to live on the marshes was impossible. Men, women, and even children +were there; and their pale, sickly faces and haggard looks showed +how deadly were the effects of the noxious exhalations from this +marshy soil. + +At about midday they reached an inn, which stood about half way +over the marshes, by the road-side. David speculated much as to +whether this place might or might not be the Forum Appii mentioned +in the book of Acts as a stopping-place of St. Paul on his way to +Rome; but the others were too hungry to take any interest whatever +in the question. They remained here nearly two hours, got something +to eat, and then resumed their journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +_The Pontine Marshes.--A Change comes over the Party.--The foul +Exhalations.--The Sleep of Death.--Dreadful Accident.--Despair of +Frank.--A Break-down.--Ingenuity of the Driver.--Resumption of +the Journey._ + + +For the first half of the day the boys had been in great spirits. +Laughter, noisy conversation, jests, chaff, and uproarious songs +had all been intermingled, and the carriage was a miniature Bedlam. +But after their stoppage at the wayside inn a change took place, +and on resuming their journey, they seemed like a very different +company. The air of the marshes now began to act upon them. They +felt it to be raw, and chill, and unpleasant. A general feeling of +discomfort and a general sensation of gloom pervaded all of them. +Bob held out most bravely, and strove to regain the jollity which +they had felt before. For a long time his fun and nonsense provoked +a laugh; but at length his fun grew fainter, and his nonsense more +stupid; and the laughter grew less hearty and more forced, until +at length the fun, and the nonsense, and the laughter ceased +altogether. + +Frank felt upon himself the responsibility of the rest to an unusual +degree. He was only a few weeks older than David, but he was far +stronger and more mature in many respects. David was a hard student, +and perhaps a bit of a book-worm, and had a larger share of the +knowledge that may be gained from books; but Frank had seen more +of the world, and in all that relates to the practical affairs of +common life he was immeasurably superior to David. For this reason +Frank often assumed, and very naturally too, the guardianship of +the party; and so appropriate was this to him, that the rest tacitly +allowed it. As for Uncle Moses, none of them ever regarded him as +their protector, but rather as an innocent and simple-hearted being, +who himself required protection from them. + +Frank, therefore, on this occasion, kept warning the whole party, +above all things, not to let themselves go to sleep. He had heard +that the air of the Pontine Marshes had a peculiar tendency to send +one to sleep; and if one should yield to this, the consequences +might be fatal. Fever, he, said, would be sure to follow sleep, +that might be indulged in under such circumstances. The anxiety +which was created in his own mind by his sense of responsibility +was of itself sufficient to keep him awake, and left him to devote +all his energies to the task of trying to keep the others awake +also, and thus save them from the impending danger. + +At first they, all laughed at him; but after a time, as each one +felt the drowsiness coming over him, they ceased to laugh. Then +they tried to sing. They kept up this for some time. They exhausted +all their stock of school songs, nigger songs, patriotic songs, +songs sentimental and moral, and finally tried even hymns. But the +singing was not a very striking success; there was a lack of spirit +in it; and under this depressing sense of languor, the voice of +music at last died out. + +Singularly enough, the one who felt this drowsiness most strongly +was Bob. Frank had not thought of him as being at all likely to +fall asleep; but whether it was that his mobile temperament made +him more liable to extremes of excitement and dullness, or whether +the reaction from his former joviality and noisiness had been +greater than that of the rest, certain it is that Bob it was who +first showed signs of sleep. His eyes closed, his head nodded, and +lifting it again with a start, he blinked around. + +"Come, Bob," said Frank, "this won't do. You don't mean to say that +_you're_ sleepy." + +Bob said nothing. He rubbed his eyes, and yawned. + +"Bob," said Frank, "take care of yourself." + +"O, I'm all right," said Bob, with a drawl; "never fear about me. +I'm wide awake." + +Scarce had he finished this when his eyes closed again, and his +head fell forward. + +Frank shook him, and Bob raised himself up with an effort at +dignified surprise which was, however, a failure. + +"You needn't shake a fellow," he said in a husky, sleepy voice. + +"But I will shake you," cried Frank. + +"Le'--me--'lone," said Bob, in a half whisper, nodding again. + +"Here," cried Frank; "this'll never do. Bob! Bob! wake up! Bob! +Bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-b! Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-ake u-u-u-u-up!" + +But Bob wouldn't wake up. On the contrary, he bobbed his head in +a foolish and imbecile way towards Frank, as though seeking +unconsciously to find a place on which to rest it. But Frank wouldn't +allow anything of the sort He made Bob sit erect, and held him in +this way for some time, bawling, yelling, and occasionally shaking +him. David and Clive were a little roused by this, and surveyed +it with sleepy eyes. Uncle Moses, however, was as wide awake as +ever--he had his usual anxiety about the well-being of the boys, +and this made sleep out of the question. He now joined his entreaties +to those of Frank; and the two, uniting their shouts, succeeded in +making considerable uproar. + +Still Bob would not wake. + +"I'll make him get out and walk," said Frank. "This'll never do. +If he sleeps here, he may never wake again." + +Saying this, Frank turned to open the carriage door to call to the +driver. As he did so, he loosed his hold of Bob, who, being no +longer stayed tip on that side, fell over on Frank's lap with his +face downward. + +Upon this, Frank turned back, and determined to lift Bob up again. + +Shaking him as hard as he could, he yelled in his ears and shouted +to him to get up. + +Now Bob was asleep, yet in his sleep he had a kind of under +consciousness of what was going on. He was stupidly conscious that +they were trying to raise him up to an uncomfortable sitting +posture--a bolt-upright position. This he was sleepily unwilling +to submit to. There wasn't any particular strength in his hands, +and his drowsy faculties didn't extend farther down than his head. +He felt himself lying on something, and to prevent them from raising +him from it, he seized it in his teeth. + +"Bo-o-o-ob! Bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-b!" yelled Frank. "W-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ake +u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-p!" + +But Bob wouldn't. + +He only held on the tighter with his teeth. + +Upon this, Frank seized him with all his strength, and gave Bob a +sudden jerk upward, when-- + +C-r-r-r-r-i-k-k-k-k!-- + +A sharp, ripping sound was heard, and as Bob's head was pulled up, +a long, narrow piece of cloth was exhibited, hanging down from his +mouth; and held in his teeth. + +Frank looked at it in dismay, and then looked +down. + +He gave a cry of vexation. + +Bob had seized Frank's trousers in his teeth, and as he was pulled +up, he held on tight. Consequently the cloth gave way, and there +was poor Frank, reduced to rags and tatters, and utterly unpresentable +in any decent society. + +He gave up Bob in despair, and began to investigate the extent of +the ruin that had been wrought in his trousers. It was a bad rent, +an irretrievable one, in fact; and all that he could do was to tie +his handkerchief around his leg. + +Bob now slept heavily, held up by Uncle Moses. + +The other boys grew drowsier and drowsier. Frank was just deciding +to get out of the carriage and make them all walk for a time, when +a sudden event occurred which brought a solution to the problem. + +It was a sudden crash. + +Down sank the carriage under them, and away it went, toppling over +on one side. A cry of terror escaped all of them. Every one started +up, and each one grasped neighbor. + +There was something in this sudden shock so dreadful and so startling, +that it broke through even the drowsiness and heavy stupor of Bob, +and penetrated to his slumbering faculties, and in an instant roused +them all. With a wild yell he flung his arms round Uncle Moses. +Uncle Moses, fell backward, and all the others were flung upon him. +They all lay thus heaped upon the side of the coach, a straggling +mass of humanity. + +Frank was the first to come to himself, and regain his presence of +mind. + +"All right," said he, in a cheerful voice. "We haven't gone over +quite. The horses have stopped. All right." + +A groan came from below the pile of humanity. + +"Get off, get off!" exclaimed Bob's voice. "You're smothering +Uncle Moses." Frank, who was uppermost, disengaged himself, and +helped off the others; and finally Bob scrambled away, giving every +indication by this time that he was at last perfectly wide awake. + +This restored Uncle Moses. He was able to take a long breath. + +By this time Frank had torn open the carriage door, and jumped +down. The others followed. + +He saw the driver holding the horses. The carriage was tilted over. +One of the hind wheels lay underneath, a shattered wreck. + +Now all was bustle and confusion. + +The driver proceeded to put into execution a plan by which they +could go forward, at least far enough to traverse the marshes. The +boys all helped, and their efforts drove away the last vestige of +drowsiness. + +The plan consisted in taking out the tongue of the wagon, binding +it upon the fore axle, and letting its other end drag on the ground. +Now, as the tongue sloped down, the hind axle rested upon it, and +thus the trailing wood served to keep the coach erect, and to act +as a runner, which supplied very well the place of the lost wheel. +The horses were then hitched on by the traces, without any tongue, +and in this way they pulled along the broken carriage. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +_The March ended.--A lonely Inn.--Evil Faces.--Beetling +Brows.--Sinister Glances.--Suspicions of the Party.--They put +their Head together.--Conferences of the Party.--A threatening +Prospect.--Barricades.--In Time of Peace prepare for War.--The +Garrison arm themselves._ + + +After completing their arrangements they resumed their journey; +but this time they all went on foot, with the exception of Uncle +Moses. They went on foot for two reasons: first, because it was +impossible for the horses to pull them all when one of the wheels +was gone, since it was as much as they could do to maintain a +walking pace even with the empty carriage; and the other reason +was, that by walking they would be better able to fight off the +drowsiness which had menaced them. In truth, as far as drowsiness +is concerned, there did not now seem to be any particular danger; +for the shock of the break-down had been sufficient to rouse even +Bob, and the effects of that shock still remained. Uncle Moses, +however, on account of his years, his infirmities, and his tendency +to "rheumatics," together with his freedom from drowsiness, was +installed in the carriage, with all due honors, as its sole occupant. +Walking on thus, they did not regret, in the slightest degree, the +hardships of their lot, but rather exulted in them, since they had +been the means of rousing them out of their almost unconquerable +tendency to sleep. Frank felt the highest possible relief, since +he was now freed from the responsibility that had of late been so +heavy. In Bob, however, there was the exhibition of the greatest +liveliness. Bob, mercurial, volatile, nonsensical, mobile, was ever +running to extremes; and as he was the first to fall asleep, so +now, when he had awaked, he was the most wide awake of all. He +sang, he shouted, he laughed, he danced, he ran; he seemed, in +fact, overflowing with animal spirits. + +Fortunately they were not very far from the end of the marshes when +the wheel broke, and in less than two hours they had traversed the +remainder. The driver could speak a little English, and informed +them that they could not reach the destination which he had proposed; +but he hoped before dark to get as far as an inn, where they could +obtain food and lodging. He informed them that it was not a very +good inn; but under the circumstances it was the best that they +could hope for. To the boys, however, it made very little difference +what sort of an inn they came to. As long as they could get +something to eat, and any kind of a bed to lie on, they were content; +and so they told the driver. + +Leaving the marshes, the road began to ascend; and after about a +half hour's farther tramp, they came, to a place which the driver +informed them was the inn. + +It was by no means an inviting place. It was an old stone edifice, +two stories high, which had once been covered with, stucco; but +the stucco had fallen off in most places, disclosing the rough +stones underneath, and giving it an air of dilapidation and squalor. +The front was by the road-side. A door opened in the middle, on +each side of which was a small, dismal window. In the second story +were two other small, dismal windows. At the end they law a window +on each story, and a third in the attic. These were all small and +dismal. Some of them had sashes and glass; others had sashes +without glass; while others had no sashes at all. + +A group of men were outside the house, all of whom stared hard +at the carriage as it drew near. There was something in the +aspect of these men which was indescribably repulsive to the +boys: their dirty, swarthy faces, covered with shaggy, jet-black +beards; their bushy eyebrows, from beneath which their black eyes +glowed like balls of fire; their hats slouched down over their +brows; their lounging attitudes, and their furtive glances; all +these combined to give them an evil aspect--a wicked, sinister, +suspicious appearance, by which all the boys were equally impressed. +They said nothing, however; and much as they disliked the look +of the place and its surroundings, they saw that there was no +help for it, and so they made up their minds to pass the night +here as well as they could. + +Leaving the carriage, they waited a few moments to ask the driver +about the prospects for the next day. The driver had everything +arranged. Velletre was only five miles away, and he was going to +send there for another carriage, or go himself. They would all be +able to leave early on the following day. + +This reassured them somewhat, and though they all would have been +willing to walk to Velletre, rather than pass the night here, yet +Uncle Moses would not be able to do it, and so they had to make up +their minds to stay. + +On entering the house, they found the interior quite in keeping +with the exterior. The hall was narrow, and on either side were +two dirty rooms, in which were some frowsy women. One room seemed +to be a kitchen, and the other a sitting-room. A rickety stairway +led up to the second story. Here they came to a room, which, they +were informed, was to be theirs. The door was fragile, and without +any fastening. The room was a large one, containing a table and +three beds, with one small wash-stand. Two windows looked out in +front, and at either end was one. At the south end the window had +no sash at all, but was open to the air. + +The aspect of the room was certainly rather cheerless, but there +was nothing to be done. So they sat down, and waited as patiently +as they could for dinner. Before it came, the sun set, and a feeble +lamp was brought in, which flickered in the draughts of air, and +scarcely lighted the room at all. + +The dinner was but a meagre repast. There was some very thin soup, +then a stew, then macaroni. There were also bread and sour wine. +However, the boys did not complain. They had footed it so far, and +had worked so hard, that they were all as hungry as hunters; and +so the dinner gave as great satisfaction as if it had been far +better. While they were eating, an evil-faced, low-browed villain +waited on the table; and as he placed down each dish in succession, +he looked round upon the company with a scowl that would have taken +away the appetites of any guests less hungry than these. But these +were too near starvation to be affected by mere scowls, and so they +ate on, reserving their remarks for a future occasion. + +So the dinner passed. + +And after the dinner was over, and the dishes were removed, and +they found themselves alone, they all looked round stealthily, and +they all put their heads together, and then,-- + +"I don't like this," said Frank. + do. said Clive. + do. said David. + do. said Bob. + +"I don't feel altogether comfortable here," said Uncle Moses. + +"Did you notice that scowl?" said Bob. + do. said Clive. + do. said David. + do. said Frank. + +"He's the ugliest creetur I ever see," said Uncle Moses. "I've been +expectin somethin o' this sort." + +The boys looked all around, for fear of being observed. Frank got +up and closed the rickety door. Then he resumed his seat. + +Then they all put their heads together again. + +"This is a bad place," said Frank. + do. said Clive. + do. said David. + do. said Bob. + +"It's the onwholesomedest lookin place I ever see," said +Uncle Moses. + +"I distrust them all," said Clive. + do. said. Frank, + do. said David. + do. said Bob. + +"I don't like the looks of that ere driver," said Uncle Hoses. "I +b'leve he contrived that there break-down a purpose, so as to bring +us to this here den." + +Uncle Moses' remark sank deep into the minds of all. Who was the +driver, after all? That break-down was certainly suspicious. It +might have been all pre-arranged. It looked suspicions. Then the +men below. There were so many of them! + +"There are a dozen of them," said Bob. + do. said Frank. + do. said David. + do. said Clive. + +"Thar's too big a gatherin here altogether," said Uncle Moses, "an +it's my idee that they've come for no good. Didn't you notice how +they stared at us with them wicked-looking eyes o' theirs?" + +"I wish we'd gone on," said David. + do. said Bob. + do. said Clive. + do. said Frank. + +"Yes, boys, that's what we'd ort to hev done," said Uncle Moses. +"Why didn't some on ye think of it?" + +"We did; but we thought you'd be too tired," said Frank. + +"Tired? tired?" exclaimed Uncle Moses. "Tired? What! me tired! +_me!_" And he paused, overcome with amazement. "Why, boys, ye must +all be ravin distracted! _Me_ tired! Why, I'm as fresh as a cricket; +an though rayther oldish, yet I've got more clear muscle, narve, +and sinnoo, than all on ye put together." + +At this little outburst' the boys said nothing, but regretted that +they had not, at least, proposed going on. + +"We're in a fix," said Clive. + do. said Bob. + do. said Frank. + do. said David. + +"We're in a tight place, sure," said Uncle Moses. + +"There's no help near," said Frank. + do. said David. + do. said Bob. + do. said Clive. + +"It's the lonesomest place I ever see," said Uncle Moses. + +"It's too dark to leave now," said David. + do. said Clive. + do. said Bob. + do. said Frank. + +"Yes, and they'd all be arter us afore we'd taken twelve steps," +said Uncle Moses. + +"They're the worst sort of brigands," said Bob. + do. said Frank. + do. said David. + do. said Clive. + +"Yes, reg'lar bloodthirsty miscreants," said Uncle Moses. + +"The door has no lock," said Frank. + do. said David. + do. said Bob. + do. said Clive. + +"O, yes, it's a reg'lar trap, an we're in for it, sure," said Uncle +Moses. "I only hope we'll get out of it." + +"That window's open, too," said David, + do. said Frank. + do. said Clive. + do. said Bob. + +"Yes, an thar ain't even a sash in it," said Uncle Moses; "no, nor +even a board to put agin it!" + +"They'll come to-night," said Clive. + do. said Frank. + do. said Bob. + do. said David. + +"No doubt in that thar," said Uncle Moses, in lugubrious tones; +"an we've got to prepar ourselves." + +"What shall we do?" said Frank. + do. said Bob. + do. said Clive. + do. said David. + +"The pint now is," said Uncle Moses,--"the pint now is, what air +we to do under the succumstances? That's what it is." + +At this Frank rose and opened the rickety door. + +He looked out. + +He closed it again. + +Then he went to each of the windows in succession. + +He looked out of each. + +Then he resumed his seat. + +"Wal?" asked Uncle Moses, in an inquiring tone. + +"There's no one to be seen," said Frank; "but I thought I heard +voices, or rather whispers, just under the end window." + +There was a solemn silence now, and they all sat looking at one +another with very earnest faces. + +"It's a solemn time, boys," said Uncle Moses, "a deeply +solemn time." + +To this the boys made no reply, but by their silence signified +their assent to Uncle Moses' remark. + +At length, after a silence of some time, Frank spoke. + +"I think we can manage something," said he, "to keep them out for +the night. My idea is, to put the largest bedstead against the +door. It opens inside; if the bedstead is against it, it can't be +opened." + +"But the windows," said Clive. + +"O, we needn't bother about the windows, they're too high up," said +Frank, confidently. + +And now they all set themselves fairly to work making preparations +for the night, which preparations consisted in making a barricade +which should offer resistance to the assaults of the bloody-minded, +murderous, beetle-browed, scowling, and diabolical brigands below, +Frank's suggestion about the bed was acted upon first. One of the +bedsteads was large, ponderous, old-fashioned, and seemed capable, +if placed against a doorway, of withstanding anything less than a +cannon ball. This they all seized, and lifting it bodily from the +ground, they placed it hard and fast against the door. The result +was gratifying in the highest degree to all of them. + +They now proceeded to inspect the room, to search out any weak +spots, so as to guard against invasion. As to the windows, they +thought that their height from the ground was of itself sufficient +to remove all danger in that quarter. + +But in their search around the room they noticed one very alarming +thing. At the south corner there was a step-ladder, which led up +into the attic, thus affording an easy entrance to any one who +might be above. Frank rushed up to the step-ladder and shook it. +To his great relief, it was loose, and not secured by any fixtures. +They all took this in their hands, and though it was very heavy, +yet they succeeded in taking it down from its place without making +any noise. They then laid it upon the floor, immediately underneath +the opening into the attic. They would have felt, perhaps, a trifle +more secure if they had been able to close up the dark opening +above; but the removal of the step-ladder seemed sufficient, and +in so doing they felt that they had cut off all means of approach +from any possible enemy in that quarter. + +Frank drew a long breath of relief as he looked around. He felt +that nothing more could be done. All the others looked around with +equal complacency, and to the apprehensions which they had been +entertaining there now succeeded a delicious sense of security. + +"We're safe at last," said Clive. + do. said Bob. + do. said David. + do. said Frank. + +"Yes, boys," said Uncle Moses, "we're jest as safe now as if we +were to hum. We can defy a hull army of them bloody-minded miscreants, +fight them off all right, and by mornin there'll be lots of wagons +passin by, an we can git help. But before we go, let's see what +weepins we can skear up in case o' need. It's allus best to have +things handy." + +"Well," said Frank, "I'm sorry to say I've got nothing but a knife;" +and saying this, he displayed an ordinary jackknife, not particularly +large, and not particularly sharp. "It isn't much," said he, as he +opened it, and flourished it in the air, "but it's something." + +"Well," said Clive, "I haven't got even a knife; but I've heard +that there's nothing equal to a chair, if you want to disconcert +a burglar; and so I'll take this, and knock down the first brigand +that shows his nose;" and as he said this, he lifted a chair from +the floor, and swung it in the air. + +"I rely on the barricades," said David, "and don't see the necessity +of any arms; for I don't see how we're going to be attacked. If we +are, I suppose I can use my knife, like Frank." + +"Well," said Bob, "I've given my knife away, and I'll have to take +a chair." + +"Wal," said Uncle Moses, "I've got a razor, an it's pooty ugly +weepin in the hands of a savage man--a desprit ugly weepin." + +"And now let's go to bed," said David, + do. said Bob. + do. said Clive. + do. said Frank. + +"Yes, boys, that's about the best thing we can do," said Uncle +Moses, decisively. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +_The sleepless Watch.--The mysterious Steps.--The low Whispers.--They +come! They come!--The Garrison roused.--To Arms! To Arms!--The +beleaguered Party.--At Bay.--The decisive Moment.--The Scaling +Ladders.--Onset of the Brigands._ + + +So they all went to Bed. + +So great was the confidence which they all felt in their preparations, +precautions, and barricades, that not the slightest thought of +danger remained in the mind of any one of them to create alarm, +with the single exception of Bob. + +For some reason or other Bob was more excitable at this time than +the others. It may have been that this was his nature, or it may +have been that his nerves were more sensitive since his tremendous +adventures during the night of horror near Paestum; but whatever +was the cause, certain it is, that on this occasion he remained +wide awake, and incapable of sleep, while all the others were +slumbering the sleep of the innocent. + +He and Frank had the same bed, and it was the bed which had been +placed against the door. It had been placed in such a way that the +head of the bed was against the door. On the north side of the +room, and on the left of this bed, was another, in which Uncle +Moses slept; while on the south side, or the right, was the bed +which was occupied by David and Clive. In this way they had disposed +of themselves. + +Bob was very wakeful. The beds were father unprepossessing, and +consequently they had all retired without altogether undressing +themselves; but in spite of this comparative discomfort they soon +fell asleep. Bob alone remained awake. + +He tried all he could to overcome his wakefulness. He resorted to +all the means for producing sleep that he had ever heard of or read +of. He tried counting, and went on counting and counting tens, and +hundreds, and thousands. He counted fast, and he counted slow. In +vain. Counting was useless, and when he had reached as high as +four thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven, he gave it up in +disgust. + +Then he tried another infallible recipe for sleep He imagined, or +tried to imagine, endless lines of rolling waves. This also was +useless. + +Then he tried another. He endeavored to imagine clouds of smoke +rolling before him. This was as useless as the others. + +Then he tested ever so many other methods, as follows:-- + + Waving grain. + Marching soldiers. + Funerals. + A shore covered with sea-weed. + An illimitable forest. + A ditto prairie. + The vault of heaven. + The wide, shoreless ocean. + A cataract. + Fireworks. + The stars. + A burning forest. + Looking at his nose. + Wishing himself asleep. + Rubbing his forehead. + Lying on his back, + do. do. right side. + do. do. left side. + do. do. face. + +And about seventy-nine other methods, which need not be mentioned, +for the simple reason that they were all equally useless. + +At last he gave up in despair, and rising up he sat on the side of +the bed, with his feet dangling down, and looked around. + +The moon had risen, and was shining into the room. By its light he +could see the outline of the beds. Around him there ascended a +choral harmony composed of snores of every degree, reaching from +the mild, mellow intonation of Clive, down to the deep, hoarse, +sepulchral drone of Uncle Moses. In spite of his vexation about +his wakefulness, a smile passed over Bob's face, as he listened to +those astonishing voices of the night. + +Suddenly a sound caught his ears, which at once attracted his +attention, and turned all his thoughts in another direction. + +It was the sound of footsteps immediately in front of the house, +and apparently at the doorway. How much time had passed he did +not know; but he felt sure that it must be at least midnight. He +now perceived that there were some in the house who had not gone +to bed. The footsteps were shuffling and irregular, as though some +people were trying to walk without making a noise. The sound +attracted Bob, and greatly excited him. + +In addition to the footsteps there were other sounds. There were +the low murmurs of voices in a subdued tone, and he judged that +there must be at least a half a dozen who were thus talking. To +this noise Bob sat listening for some time. It remained in the same +place, and of course he could make nothing out of it; but it served +to reawaken all the fears of brigands which had been aroused before +they went to bed. + +At length he heard a movement from below. The movement was along +the ball. It was a shuffling movement, as of men walking with the +endeavor not to make a noise. + +Bob listened. + +His excitement increased. + +At last he heard the sounds more plainly. + +They were evidently at the foot of the stairway. + +Bob listened in increasing excitement. + +Then there came a creaking sound. It was from the stairway. They +were ascending it. + +He thought of waking Frank, but decided to wait. + +The sounds draw nearer. There must have been six or seven men upon +the stairway, and they were walking up. What for? + +He had no doubt what it was for, and he waited, knowing that they +were coming to this room in which he was. + +They tried to walk softly. There were low whispers once or twice, +which ceased as they drew nearer. + +Nearer and nearer! + +At last Bob knew that they were outside of the door, and as he sat +on the bed, he knew that there could not be more than a yard of +distance Between himself and those bloody-minded, beetle-browed, +ruthless, demoniac, and fiendish brigands. + +His blood ran cold in his veins at the very thought. + +He did not dare to move. He sat rigid, with every sense on the +alert, his eyes fixed on the door, listening. + +Then came a slight creaking sound--the sound of a pressure against +the door, which yielded slightly, but was prevented by the heavy +bed from being opened at all. It was an unmistakable sound. They +were trying to open the door. They were also trying to do it as +noiselessly as possible. Evidently they thought that their victims +were all asleep, and they wished to come in noiselessly, so as to +accomplish their fearful errand. + +For a moment it seemed to Bob as though the bed was being pushed +back. The thought gave him anguish inexpressible, but he soon found +that it was not so. Then he expected a savage push at the door from +the baffled brigands. He thought that they would drop all attempts +at secrecy, and begin an open attack. + +But they did not do so. + +There were whispers outside the door. Evidently they were +deliberating. They were unwilling, as yet, to resort to noisy +violence. They wished to effect their full purpose in secret and +in silence. Such were Bob's thoughts, which thoughts were strengthened +as he heard them slowly move away, and descend the stairs, with +the same carefulness, and the same shuffling sound, with which they +had ascended. + +"They are going to try the windows," thought Bob. + +And now as this thought came to him, he could restrain himself no +longer. It was no time for sleep. He determined to rouse the others. + +He laid his hand on Frank's forehead, and shook his bead. Then, +bending down dose to him, he hissed in his ear,-- + +"Wake! wake! Brigands! Don't speak! don't speak! silence!" + +Frank was a light sleeper, and a quick-witted lad, who always +retained his presence of mind. At Bob's cry he became wide awake, +and without a single word sat up in bed and listened. All was still. + +"What's the matter?" he asked. + +Bob told Him all in a few words. + +Upon this Frank got up, stole noiselessly to the window on tiptoe, +and listened. Bob followed. As they stood close to the window, +they heard the sound of murmuring voices immediately beneath. +Several of the panes of glass were out of this window, so that the +voices were perfectly audible; though of course their ignorance of +the language prevented them from understanding what was said. + +As they listened, there arose a movement among them. The voices +grew louder. The men were evidently walking out of the house. The +listeners heard the sound of their footsteps on the ground as they +walked away, and at a little distance off they noticed that the +voices became more free and unrestrained. + +"They'll be back again," said Frank. + +"Let's wake the others," said Bob. + +Upon this suggestion they both proceeded at once to act, waking +them carefully, and cautioning them against making any noise. The +cautions against noise were so earnest, that not a word was spoken +above a whisper; but Clive and David, and finally Uncle Moses, +stepped out upon the floor, and the whole party proceeded to put +their heads together. + +"I've got a chair," said Clive. + +"I've got a knife," said Frank. + +"I've got a chair," said Bob. + +"I've got a knife," said David. + +"An I've got my razor, which I shoved under my pillow," said Uncle +Moses; "an so let em come on. But where are they now?" + +"H-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-h!" Said Frank. + +All were silent, and listened. There came out from without the +sound of footsteps approaching the house, and of low voices. + +"They're coming back again," said Bob. + +The rest listened. + +Frank stole to the window and looked cautiously out. + +By the moonlight he saw plainly the figures of four men. They were +coming from the road to the house, and they were carrying a ladder. +The ladder was very long. The sight sent a shudder through him. He +had thought of the windows as being out of the reach of danger; +the idea of a ladder had never entered his head at all. Yet he now +saw that this-was one of the most simple and natural plans which +could be adopted by the brigands. + +He came back and told the others. All felt the same dismay which +Frank had felt. None of them said a word, but they all stole up to +the window, and looking out they saw for themselves. + +The brigands approached the house, carrying the ladder; and on +reaching it, they put their load on the ground, and rested for a +short time. As they did so, the boys noticed that they all looked +up at the upper windows of the house. + +Then they saw the brigands gathering close together, and the murmur +of their conversation came up to their ears. + +It was a thrilling sight. The boys stood in dread suspense. No one +said a word, not even a whisper. + +The conversation among the brigands was followed by a movement on +their part which brought things nearer to a climax. They raised +the ladder once more, and moving it a little farther away, they +proceeded to put it up against the house. The ladder was put up +at the south end of the house, and as it was being carried there +for the purpose of erection, the boys and Uncle Moses all stole +over to that south window, where, standing a little distance back, +so as to be out of observation, they looked out. Each one grasped +his weapon of defence. + +Clive his chair. + +Frank his knife. + +Bob his chair. + +David his knife. + +Uncle Moses his razor. + +"Be ready, boys," said Uncle Moses, in a firm voice, as he grasped +his razor. "The hour air come, and the decisive moment air at hand!" + +He said this in a whisper, and the boys made no reply whatever. + +The brigands meanwhile elevated the ladder, and the upper end struck +the building. The dull thud of that stroke sent a thrill to the +hearts of those listeners in the room. As they saw one of the +brigands seize the ladder in order to mount, they all involuntarily +shrank back one step. + +"It isn't this window, at any rate," said Frank, in a whisper. + +This remark encouraged them for a moment. No, it was not their +window, but the attic window. They watched in silence now, and +saw the four brigands go up. + +Overhead they heard the sound that announced them as they stepped +in through the window. + +One brigand! + +Two brigands!! + +Three brigands!!! + +Four brigands!!!! + +And now the momentary relief which they had experienced at seeing +that the attack was not made upon their window was succeeded by +the darkest apprehensions, as they heard the entrance of those four +brigands, and knew that these desperate men were just above them. +They were there overhead. The hatchway was open. Through that +opening they could drop down one by one. + +The same thought came to all of them, and with one common impulse +they moved softly to where the step-ladder lay on the floor. Frank +made this movement first; the others followed. + +They stood ranged along the step-ladder. + +First, Frank, with his knife. + +Second, Bob, with his chair. + +Third, Clive, with his chair. + +Fourth, David, with his knife. + +Fifth, Uncle Moses, with his razor. + +Every one held his weapon in a grasp which the excitement of the +moment had rendered convulsive. Every eye was fixed upon the +hatchway above, which lay concealed in the gloom. Overhead they +heard, whispering, but no movement whatever. + +"Let's jump out of the windows and run," whispered Bob, hurriedly. + +"No," said Frank, "they are watching below--no use." + +But further remarks were prevented by the sudden glimmer of a light +above. It was a light in the attic, not very bright, yet sufficiently +so to show the opening through which their enemies were about to +come. + +The brigands had lighted a lamp! + +The excitement grew stronger. + +Voices arose, low and hushed. + +Then footsteps! + +The light above the opening grew brighter! + +It was an awful moment! + +The suspense was terrible! + +Yet in the midst of that suspense they had no thought of surrender. +In fact, they did not think that surrender would be possible. These +bloody-minded miscreants would show no quarter; and the besieged +party felt the task imposed upon them of selling their lives as +dearly as possible. And so it was, that as the brigands came nearer +to the opening,-- + +Frank grasped his knife more firmly. + +Bob do. " chair do. + +David do. " knife do. + +Clive do. " chair do. + +While Uncle Moses held up his razor in such a way, that the first +brigand who descended should fall full upon its keen edge. + +The light grew brighter over the opening. The shuffling footsteps +drew nearer. Then there was a pause, and low whispers arose. The +brigands were immediately above them. The light shone down into +the room. + +The suspense was now intolerable. It was Frank who broke the silence. + +"_Who's there?_" he cried in a loud, strong, stern, menacing voice, +in which there was not the slightest tremor. + +At this the whispering above ceased. Everything was perfectly still. + +"WHO'S THERE?" cried Frank a second time, in a louder, stronger, +sterner, and more menacing voice. + +No answer. + +All was still. + +What did it mean? + +"WHO'S THERE?" cried Frank a third time, in the loudest, strongest, +sternest, and most menacing tone that he could compass, "SPEAK, OR +I'LL FIRE!!!!!!!!!" + +This tremendous threat could not have been carried out, of course, +with the knives, chairs, and razor of the party below; but at any +rate it brought a reply. + +"Alla raight!" cried a voice. "O, yais. It's onalee me. Alla safe. +Come up here to get some straps for de vettura. Alla raight. I haf +joosta come back from Velletre. Haf brot de oder vettura. Scusa de +interruption, but haf to-get de straps; dey up here. Alla raight!" + +It was the voice of their driver! + +At the first sound of that voice there was an instantaneous and +immense revulsion of feeling. The dark terror of a moment before +was suddenly transformed to an absurdity. They had been making +fools of themselves. They felt this very keenly. The chairs were +put quietly upon the floor; the knives were pocketed very stealthily; +and Uncle Moses' razor was slipped hurriedly into the breast pocket +of his coat. + +"O!" said-Frank, trying to speak in an easy, careless, matter-of-fact +tone. "We didn't know. Shall we leave in the morning?" + +"O, yais. Alla r-r-raight," said the driver. + +Soon after the party descended the ladder, and took it away. The +boys and Uncle Moses made no remark whatever. They all crept +silently, and rather sheepishly, back to their beds, feeling very +much ashamed of themselves. + +And yet there was no reason for shame, for to them the danger seemed +real; and believing it to be real, they had not shrunk, but had +faced it with very commendable pluck. + +This was the end of their troubles on the road. For the remainder +of that night they slept soundly. In the morning they awaked +refreshed, and found a good breakfast waiting for them. They +found also another carriage, in which they entered and resumed +their journey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +_A beautiful Country.--Magnificent Scenery.--The Approach to +Albano.--Enthusiasm of the Boys.--Archaeology versus Appetite.--The +Separation of the Boys.--The Story of the Alton Lake and the +ancient subterranean Channel._ + + +As they rolled along the road on this last stage of their eventful +journey, they were all in the highest spirits. On to Rome! was +the watchword. It was a glorious day; the sun shone brightly from +a cloudless sky; the air was pure, and brilliant, and genial, and +it also had such a wonderful transparency that distant objects +seemed much nearer from the distinctness with which their outlines +were revealed. The road was a magnificent one,--broad, well paved, +well graded,--and though for some miles it was steadily ascending, +yet the ascent was made by such an easy slope, that it was really +imperceptible; and they bowled along as easily and as merrily as +if on level ground. Moreover, the scenery around was of the most +attractive character. They were among the mountains; and though +there were no snow-clad summits, and no lofty peaks lost amid the +clouds, still the lowering forms that appeared on every side were +full of grandeur and sublimity. Amid these the road wound, and, at +every new turn some fresh scene of beauty or of magnificence was +disclosed to their admiring eyes. Now it was a sequestered valley, +with a streamlet running through it, and the green of its surface +diversified by one or two white cottages, or the darker hue of +olive groves and vineyards; again it was some little hamlet far up +the sloping mountain-side; again some mouldering tower would appear, +perched upon some commanding and almost inaccessible eminence--the +remains of a feudal castle, the monument of lawless power overthrown +forever. Sometimes they would pass through the street of a town, +and have a fresh opportunity of contrasting the lazy and easy-going +life of Italy with the busy, energetic, restless, and stirring life +of their own far-distant America. + +On to Rome! + +This day was to land them in the "Eternal City;" and though they +enjoyed the drive, still they were eager to have it over, and to +find themselves in that place which was once the centre of the +world's rule, and continued to be so for so many ages. Their +impatience to reach their destination was not, however, excessive, +and did not at all prevent them from enjoying to the utmost the +journey so long as it lasted. Uncle Moses was the only exception. +He was most eager to have it over, and reach some place of rest. +True, no accident had happened; but he had gone through enough +tribulation, both in body and in mind, to furnish the working, +material for a dozen very serious accidents indeed; and the general +effect produced upon him was precisely what might have resulted +from a really perilous journey. + +At length they arrived at the town of Albano, where they intended +to remain two hours, and afterwards resume their journey. The town +stood on the side of a hill, and the hotel at which they drew up +was so situated that it commanded a boundless view. + +Few places cherish a stronger local pride than Albano. Tradition +identifies this town with no less a place than Alba Longa, so famous +in early Roman legends; for though, according to the old accounts, +Tullus Hostilius destroyed the city proper of Alba Longa, yet +afterwards another town grew on its site, and all around rose up +the splendid villas of the Roman nobility. Here, too, Tiberius and +Domitian had palaces, where they sought relaxation from the cares +of empire in a characteristic way. + +On reaching this place, their first care was to order dinner, and +then, as there would be some time taken up in preparation for that +meal, they looked about for some mode of pastime. The landlord +recommended to them a visit to a convent at the top of the hill. +He informed them that it stood on the site of a famous temple, and +that it was visited every day by large numbers of travellers. On, +referring to their guide-book, the boys learned that the temple +referred to by the landlord was that of the Latian Jupiter. + +As they had nothing else to do, they set out for the convent, and +soon reached it. Arriving there, they found spread out before them +a view which surpassed anything that they had ever seen in their +lives. Far down beneath them descended the declivity of the Alban +hill, till it terminated in the Roman Campagna. Then, far away +before their eyes it spread for many a mile, till it was terminated +by a long blue line, which it needed not the explanation of the +monk at their elbow to recognize as the Mediterranean; and this +blue line of distant sea spread far away, till it terminated in a +projecting promontory, which their guide told them was the Cape of +Terracina. But their attention was arrested by an object which was +much nearer than this. Through that gray Campagna,--whose gray hue, +the result of waste and barrenness, seemed also to mark its hoary +age,--through this there ran a silver thread, with many a winding +to and fro, now coming full into view, and gleaming in the sun, +now retreating, till it was lost to sight. + +"What is this?" asked David. + +"The Tiber!" said the monk. + +At the mention of this august historic name, a thrill involuntarily +passed through them. The Tiber! What associations clustered around +that word! + +Along this silver thread their eyes wandered, till at length it +was lost for a time in a dark, irregular mass of something. The +atmosphere just now had grown slightly hazy in this direction, so +that they could not make out what this was, exactly; whether a +hill, or a grove, or a town; but it looked most like a town, and +the irregularities and projections seemed like towers and domes. +Prominent among these projections was one larger mass, which rose +up above all the others, and formed the chief feature in that +indistinct mass. + +"What is all that?" asked David, in a hesitating way, like one who +suspects the truth, but does not feel at all sure about it. + +"Dat," said the guide, "dat is Rome; and dat black mass dat you +see is de Church of St. Peter's. It's not clear to-day--some time +we can see it all plain." + +At this the boys said nothing, but stood in silence, looking upon +the scene. It was one which might have stirred the souls of even +the least emotional, and among this little company there were two, +at least, who were quick to kindle into enthusiasm at the presence +of anything connected with the storied past. These were David and +Clive, who each, though from different causes, now felt himself +profoundly moved by this spectacle. David's enthusiasm was that +of a scholar; Clive's was that of a poet; yet each was keen in his +susceptibility, and eloquent in the expression of his feelings. + +As for Frank and Bob, they were far less demonstrative; and though +they had plenty of enthusiasm of their own, yet it was not often +excited very violently by either poetic feeling or classical +reminiscences. The scene before them certainly moved their feelings +also, on the present occasion; but they were not in the habit of +indulging in exclamatory language, and so they looked on in quiet +appreciation, without saying anything. + +Not so the other two, David and Clive. Each burst forth in his +own way. + +"How magnificent!" cried Clive. "What a boundless scene! How +fortunate we are to have our first view of Rome! I don't believe +there is such another sight in all the world. But what a scene must +have appeared from these heights when Rome was in its glory!" + +"Yes," said David, chiming in, "such a place doesn't exist anywhere +else in all the world. It's the cradle of history, and modern +civilization. Here is where the mighty Roman empire began. There +is the Rome of the kings and the consuls; and down there is the +arena, where they fought out that long battle that arranged the +course of future ages." + +"Besides," said Clive; "there is the scene of all the latter part +of the Aeneid, and of all the immortal legends that arose out of +the early growth of Rome. What a place this would be to read +Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome!-- + + "Hail to the great asylum! + Hail to the hill-tops seven! + Hail to the fire that burns for aye! + And the shields that fell from heaven!" + +At this moment Frank's attention was attracted to a place not very +far away, where the sheen of some silver water flashed forth from +amid the dark green hue of the surrounding hills. + +"What is that?" he asked of the guide. "It looks like a lake." + +"It is de Alban Lake." + +"The Alban Lake!" cried David, in a fresh transport of enthusiasm; +"the Alban Lake! What, the lake that the Romans drained at the +siege of Veii?" + +"It is de same," said the guide. + +"Is it really? and is the canal or tunnel still in existence? + +"It is." + +"Is it far away?" + +"Not ver far." + +"Boys, we must go there. It is the greatest curiosity of the country +about here." + +"Well," said Frank, "I'm in for any curiosity. But how long will +it take for us to see it?" + +"It will take more dan one hour," said the guide. + +"More than an hour!" said Frank. "Hm--that won't do--we've got to +go back at once to get our dinner. It's ready by this time, and +then we must leave for Rome." + +"Well, it's a great pity," said David, sadly. "I think I should be +willing to go without my dinner, to see that wonderful tunnel." + +"I shouldn't, then," said Frank, "not for all the tunnels in +the world." + +"Nor should I," said Bob. + +"But what a magnificent effect the lake has when embraced in our +view!" said Clive. "How finely is the description in Childe Harold +adapted to this scene-- + + 'And near, Albano's scarce divided waves + Shine from a sister valley; and afar + The Tiber winds, and the broad ocean laves + The Latian coast, where sprung the Epic war, + "Arms and the man," whose reascending star + Rose o'er an empire; but beneath thy right + Fully reposed from Rome; and where yon bar + Of girdling mountains intercepts thy sight, + The Sabine farm was tilled, the weary bard's delight.' + +"Clive," said David, who had waited patiently for him to finish +his poetical quotation, "you'll come--won't you?" + +"Come? Come where?" + +"Why, I want to visit the tunnel of the Alban Lake, and it'll take +an hour to do it. If we go, we'll lose our dinner. What do you say? +You don't think a dinner's the most important thing in the world?" + +"Of course not," said Clive. "Besides, we can pick up some scraps +when we return, and eat them in the carriage." + +"That's right," said David. "Boys," he continued, appealing to +Frank and Bob, "you'd better come." + +"What! and lose our dinners?" cried Frank, scornfully. "Catch us +at it. No. We require more substantial food than poetry and old +ruins. Don't we, Bob?" + +"Certainly," said Bob. "For my part poetry and old ruins never were +in my line. As for 'Arms and the man' and the 'Sabine farm,' why, +all I can say is, I always hated them. I detested Virgil, and +Horace, and Cicero, and the whole lot of them, at school; and why +I should turn round now, and pretend to like them, I don't know, +I'm sure. Horace and Virgil, indeed! Bother Horace and Virgil, I +say." + +At such flippancy as this both David and Clive looked too much +pained to reply. They turned away in silence, and spoke to the +guide. + +"So you're not coming back to dinner?" said Frank. + +"No," said David; "we want to see that tunnel." + +"Well, you'll lose your dinner; that's all." + +"Of course. We don't care." + +"At any rate, don't go and forget about us. We want to leave, for +Rome after dinner, and you ought to be back in one hour, at the +very farthest." + +"O, yes; the guide says it'll only take an hour. We don't intend +to spend any more time there than we can help." + +"Well, I think you ought to come back," said Bob; "you know very +well how poor old Uncle Moses will fidget and worry about you." + +"O, no; it's all right. Tell him that the guide is with us, +you know." + +After a few more words, Frank and Bob, who were ravenously hungry, +hurried back to the hotel, and David and Clive, who were also, to +tell the truth, equally hungry, resisted their appetites as well +as they were able, and accompanied their guide to the Lake Albano. + +Most boys are familiar with the story of the Alban Lake; but +for the benefit of those who may not have heard of it, or who, +having heard, have forgotten, it may be as well to give a +brief account of the famous tunnel, which was so very attractive +to Clive and David. + +The city of Veii had been besieged for nine years, without success, +by the Romans; and at length, in the tenth year, a great prodigy +occurred, in the shape of the sudden rising of the waters of the +Alban Lake to an extraordinary height, without any apparent cause. +The Romans, in their bewilderment, sent a messenger to the oracle +of Delphi to inquire about it. Before this messenger returned, they +also captured a Verentine priest, who informed them that there were +certain oracular books in Veii, which declared that Veii could +never perish unless the waters of the Alban Lake should reach +the sea. Not long afterwards the messenger returned from Delphi, +who brought back an answer from the oracle at that place to the +same effect. Upon this, the Romans resolved to draw off the +waters of the lake so as to let them flow to the sea. Such an +undertaking was one of the most laborious kind, especially in an +age like that; but the Romans entered upon it, and worked at it +with that extraordinary tenacity of purpose which always +distinguished them. It was necessary to cut a tunnel through +the mountain, through rock of the hardest possible description. +But the same age had seen the excavation of other subterranean +passages far larger than this, and in the same country, preeminently +the Grotto of Posilipo, at Naples, and that of the Cumaean Sibyl, +and at length it was accomplished. The people of Veii heard of +it, and were filled with alarm. Ambassadors were sent to Rome, +with the hope of inducing the Romans to come to some other terms +less severe than the surrender of the city; but they were +disappointed, and according to the legend, could only comfort +themselves by announcing to the Romans a prophecy in the oracular +books of Veii, to the effect that, if this siege should be carried +through to the capture of the city, Rome itself should be taken +by the Gauls soon after. This prophecy, however, had no effect. +whatever upon the stern resolution of the Romans. + +The subterranean passage to the lake was also supplemented by +another, which led to the citadel of Veii. As the time approached +for the final assault, the Roman Senate invited all the Roman people +to participate in it, and promised them a share of the booty. This +promise induced a vast multitude, old and young, to go there. The +time at last came. The water of the Alban Lake was let out into +the fields, and the party that entered the subterranean passage to +the citadel were led by Camillus, while, at the same time, a general +assault was made upon the walls by the rest of the army. At that +moment the king of Veii happened to be sacrificing in the Temple +of Juno, which was in the citadel, and Camillus, with his Romans, +were immediately beneath, close enough to hear what he said. It +happened that the attendant priest declared that whoever should +bring the goddess her share of the victim should conquer. Camillus +heard the words, and at once they burst forth upon the astonished +Veientans, seized upon the altar, offered the sacrifice, and thus +performed what had been declared to be the conditions of victory. +After this they held the citadel, and sent a detachment to open +the gates to the assaulting army outside. Thus Veil fell; and this +is the legend which, like many others belonging to early Roman +times, is more full of poetry than of truth. + +The tunnel still remains, and is one of the chief curiosities left +from ancient times. It is about two miles long, six feet high, and +three and a half feet wide. + +To this place the guide led David and Clive, and entertained them +on the way with the account of its origin, which accorded in most +particulars with that which is given above; and though both of the +boys were familiar with the story, yet it was not unpleasant to +hear it again, told by one who lived in the neighborhood of the +place, and had passed his life amid these scenes. It seemed to them +to give a certain degree of authenticity to the old legend. + +There was not much to see, except an opening in the rock, the mouth +of the tunnel, with rushes, and mosses, and grasses, and shrubbery +growing around it. Having seen it, they were satisfied, and turned +to go back to the hotel. After a short distance, the guide showed +them where there was a path turning off through the fields, which +formed a short cut back. Upon this they paid him for his trouble, +and he went back to the convent, while they went along the path by +which he had directed them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +_The lonely Path.--The sequestered Vale.--The old House.--A Feudal +Castle.--A baronial Windmill.--A mysterious Sound.--A terrible +Discovery.--At Bay.--The Wild Beasts Lair!--What is It!--A great +Bore!_ + + +The path by which Clive and David returned to the hotel, went down +a slope of the hill into a valley, and led over a second hill, +beyond which was Albano. There were no houses visible, for the town +was hidden by the hill, except, of course, the convent, which, from +its conspicuous position, was never out of sight. As they descended +into the valley, they came to a grove of olive trees; and beyond +this there was a ruined edifice, built of stone, and apparently +long since deserted. It was two stories in height, but the stories +were high, and it looked as though it might once have been used, +for a tower of some sort. The attention of both of the boys was at +once arrested by it, and they stood and looked at it for some time. + +"I wonder what it has been," said David. + +"No doubt," said Clive, "it is the ruin of some mediaeval castle." + +"It does not have much of the look of a castle." + +"Why not?" + +"O, why, there are no architectural features in it; no battlements; +it has, in fact, a rather modern air." + +"Not a bit of it," said Clive. "See those old stones grown over +with moss; and look at the ivy." + +"Yes, but look at the windows. They didn't have such large windows +in castles, you know." + +"Yes, but these windows were probably made afterwards. The place +was once a castle; but at length, of course it became deserted, +and began to fall to ruins. Then somebody fixed it tip for a +dwelling-house, and made these windows in the walls." + +"Well, that's not improbable." + +"Not improbable! Why, I'm sure it's very natural. Look how thick +the walls are!" + +"They do seem pretty thick." + +"O, they are real castle walls; there's no doubt at all about that," +said Clive, in a positive tone. "Why, they are three feet thick, +at least. And, you see, there are signs of an additional story +having been above it." + +"Yes, I dare say," said David, looking up. "The edges there look +ragged, as though some upper portion has been knocked off." + +"And I dare say it's been a great place for brigands," said Clive. + +"O, bother brigands," said David. "For my part, I begin to think +not only that there are no brigands now, but even that there never +have been any such people at all. + +"Well, I won't go as far as that," said Clive, "but I certainly +begin to have my doubts about them." + +"They're all humbugs," said David. + +"All of our brigands have been total failures," said Clive. + +"Yes," said David; "they all turned out to be the most amiable +people in the world. But come; suppose we go inside, and +explore this old ruin. It may be something famous. I wish +the guide were, here." + +"O, well look at it first all over, and then ask at the hotel." + +"Yes, that's the way." + +"But have we time?" + +"O, of course; it won't take us five minutes." + +Upon this Clive started off for the ruined structure, followed +by David. + +It was, as has been said, two stories in height. In the lower +story was a small, narrow doorway. The door was gone. There were +no windows, and it was quite dark inside. It was about twelve feet +wide, and fifteen feet long. At one end were some piles of fagots +heaped together. The height was about fifteen feet. Before them +they saw a rude ladder, running up to the story above. Its feet +rested near the back of the room. There was no floor to the house, +but only the hard-packed earth. + +"There's nothing here," said David, looking around. + +"Let's go into the upper story," said Clive. + +To this proposal David assented quite readily; and accordingly they +both entered, and walked towards the ladder. Clive ascended first, +and David followed. In a few moments they were in the upper story. + +Here it was light, for there were two windows in front. There was +a floor, and the walls were plastered. Fragments of straw lay about, +intermingled with chaff, as though the place had been used for some +sort of a store-house. + +Overhead there were a number of heavy beams, which seemed too +numerous and complicated to serve merely for the support of a roof; +and among them was one large, round beam, which ran across. At +this both of the boys stared very curiously. + +"I wonder what all that can be for," asked David. + +"O, no doubt," said Clive, "it's some of the massive wood-work of +the old castle." + +"But what was the good of it?" + +"Why, to support the roof, of course," said Clive. + +"Yes, but there is too much. They would never have needed all that +to support so small a roof. It's a waste of timber." + +"O, well, you know you mustn't expect the same ingenuity in an +Italian builder that you would in an American." + +"I don't know about that. Why not? Do you mean to say that the +Italians are inferior to the Americans in architecture? Pooh, man! +in America there is no architecture at all; while here, in every +little town, they have some edifice that in America would be +considered something wonderful." + +"O, well, you know they are very clumsy in practical matters, in +spite of their Artistic superiority. But apart from that I've just +been thinking that this is only a part of some large castle, and +this lumber work was, perhaps, once the main support of a massive +roof. So, after all, it would have its use." + +David said nothing for some time. He was looking earnestly at the +wood-work. + +"I'll tell you what it is," said he, at last. "I've got it. It +isn't a castle at all. It's a windmill." + +"A windmill!" exclaimed Clive, contemptuously. "What nonsense! +It's an old tower--the keep of some mediaeval castle." + +"It's a windmill!" persisted David. "Look at that big beam. It's +round. See in one corner those projecting pieces. They were once +part of some projecting wheel. Why, of course, it's a windmill. +The other end of that cross-beam goes outside for the fans to be +attached to it. This big cross-beam was the shaft. Of course +that's it." + +Clive looked very much crest-fallen at this. He was unable to +disprove a fact of which the evidences were now so plain; but he +struggled to maintain a little longer the respectability of his +feudal castle. + +"Well," said he, "I dare say it may have been used afterwards for +a windmill; but I am sure it was originally built as a baronial +hall, some time during the middle ages. Afterwards it began to go +to ruin; and then, I dare say, some miller fellow has taken possession +of the keep, and torn off the turrets and battlements, and rigged +up this roof with the beams, and thus turned it into a windmill." + +"O, well, you may be right," said David. "Of course it's impossible +to tell." + +"O, but I'm sure of it," said Clive, positively. + +David laughed. + +"O, then," said he, "in that case, I've got nothing to say about +it at all." + +In spite of his reiterated conviction in the baronial castle, Clive +was unable to prevent an expression of disgust from being discernible +on his fine face, and without another word, he turned to go down. + +David followed close after him. + +As Clive put his feet down on the nearest rung of the ladder, he +was startled by a noise below. It came from the pile of fagots, +and was of the most extraordinary character. It was a shuffling, +scraping, growling, snapping noise; an indescribable medley of +peculiar sounds. + +Clive instantly drew back his foot, as though he had trodden +on a snake. + +"What's the matter?" cried David, in amazement. + +"Didn't you hear it?" + +"Hear what?" + +"Why, that noise!" + +"Noise?" + +"Yes." + +"What noise?" + +Clive's eyes opened wide, and he said in a low, agitated whisper,-- + +"Something's down there!" + +At this David's face turned pale. He knelt down at the opening, +and bent his head over. + +The sounds, which had ceased for a moment, became once more audible. +There was a quick, beating, rustling, rubbing noise among the +fagots, and he could occasionally hear the rap of footfalls on the +floor. It was too dark to see anything, for the narrow door was +the only opening, and the end of the chamber where the fagots lay +was wrapped in deep gloom. + +Clive knelt down too, and then both boys, kneeling there, listened +eagerly and intently with all their ears. + +"What is it?" asked Clive. + +"I'm rare I don't know," said David, gloomily. + +"Is it a brigand?" whispered Clive, dismally. + +"I don't know, I'm sore," said poor David, who, in spite of his +recent declaration of his belief that all brigands were humbugs, +felt something like his old trepidation at Clive's suggestion. + +They listened a little longer. + +The noise subsided for a time, and then began again. This time it +was much louder than before. There was the same rustling, rubbing, +cracking, snapping sound made by something among the fagots; there +was a clatter as of feet on the hard ground; then there was a quick, +reiterated rubbing; then another peculiar noise, which sounded +exactly like that which a dog makes when shaking himself violently +after coming out of the water. After this there was a low, deep +sound, midway between a yawn and a growl; then all was still. + +David and Clive raised themselves softly, and looked at one another. + +"Well?" said Clive. + +"Well?" said David. + +"I don't know," said Clive. + +"I don't know," said David. + +"What shall we do?" said Clive. + +David shook his head. Then, looking down the opening once more, he +again raised his eyes, and fixing them with an awful look on Clive, +he said, in a dismal tone,-- + +"It's not a brigand!" + +"No," said Clive, "I don't think it is, either." + +David looked down again; then he looked up at Clive with the same +expression, and said in the same dismal tone as before,-- + +"Clive!" + +"Well?" + +"_It's a wild beast!_" + +Clive looked back at David with eyes that expressed equal horror, +and said not a word. + +"Don't you think so?" asked David. + +"Yes," said Clive. + +Then:-- + +"How can we get down?" said David. + do. said Clive. + +"I, don't know!" said David. + do. said Clive. + +Once more the boys put their heads down to the hole and listened. +The noises were soon renewed--such noises as,-- + Snapping, with variations. + cracking, " do. + deep-breathing, " do. + scratching, " do. + sighing, " do. + yawning, " do. + growling, " do. + grunting, " do. + smacking, " do. + thumping, " do. + jerking, " do. + rattling, " do. + pushing, with variations, + sliding, " do. + shaking, " do. + jerking, " do. + twitching, " do. + groaning, " do. + pattering, " do. + rolling, " do. + rubbing, " do. +together with many more of a similar character, all of which went +to indicate to the minds of both of the boys the presence in that +lower chamber, and close by that pile of fagots, of some animal, +in a state of wakefulness, restlessness, and, as they believed, of +vigilant watchfulness and ferocity. + +"I wonder how it got there," said David. "That olive grove--that's +it--O, that's it. He saw us come in here, and followed us." + +"I don't know," said Clive. "He may have been among the fagots when +we came in, and our coming has waked him." + +"I wonder that the guide didn't warn us." + +"O, he never thought, I suppose." + +"No; he thought we would keep by the path, and go straight to the +hotel." + +"What fools we were!" + +"Well, it can't be helped now." + +"I wonder what it is," said Clive, after another anxious pause. + +"A wild beast," said David, dismally. + +"Of course; but what kind of a one?" + +"It may be a wolf." + +"I wonder if there are many wolves about here." + +"Wolves? Of course. All Italy is fall of them." + +"Yes, but this beast has hard feet. Don't you hear what a noise he +makes sometimes with his feet? A wolf's feet are like a dog's. I'm +afraid it's something even worse than a wolf." + +"Something worse?" + +"Yes." + +"What can be worse?" + +"Why, a wild boar. Italy is the greatest country in the world for +wild boars." + +After this there followed a long period of silence and despondency. + +Suddenly Clive grasped the upper part of the ladder, and began to +pull at it with all his might. + +"What are you trying to do?" asked David. + +"Why, we might draw up the ladder, and put it out of one of the +windows, you know, and get out that way--mightn't we?" + +"I don't know," said David. "We might try." + +Upon this both boys seized the ladder, and tried to pull it from +its place. But their efforts were entirely in vain. The ladder was +clumsily made out of heavy timbers, and their puny efforts did not +avail to move it one single inch from its place. So they soon +desisted, and turned away in despair. Clive then went to one of +the windows, and looked down. David followed him. They looked out +for some time in silence. + +"Couldn't we let ourselves drop somehow?" asked Clive. + +David shook his head. + +"It's nearly twenty feet from the window ledge," said he, "and I'm +afraid one of us might break some of our bones." + +"O, it's not so very far," said Clive. "Yes, but if we were to +drop, that wild boar would hear us, and rush out in a moment." + +At this terrible suggestion, Clive turned away, and regarded David +with his old look of horror. + +"It's no use trying," said David; "that horrible wild boar waked +up when we entered his den. He saw us going up, and has been watching +ever since for us to come down. They are the most ferocious, most +pitiless, and most cruel of all wild beasts. Why; if we had the +ladder down from the window, and could get to the ground, he'd +pounce upon us before we could get even as far as the path." + +Clive left the window, and sat down in despair, leaning against +the wall, while David stood staring blankly out into vacancy. Their +position was now not merely an embarrassing one. It seemed dangerous +in the extreme. From this place they saw no sign of any human +habitation. They could not see the convent. Albano was hidden by +the hill already spoken of; nor had they any idea how far away it +might be. This path over which they had gone had not appeared like +one which was much used; and how long it might be before any +passers-by would approach was more than they could tell. + +"Well," said Clive, "we've lost our dinner, and it's my firm belief +that we'll lose our tea, too." + +David made no reply. + +Clive arose, and walked over to him. + +"Dave," said he, "look here. I'm getting desperate. I've a +great mind to go down the ladder as quietly as possible, and +then run for it." + +"No, don't--don't," cried David, earnestly. + +"Well, I'm not going to stay here and starve to death," said Clive. + +"Pooh! don't be impatient," said David. "Of course they'll hunt us +up, and rescue us. Only wait a little longer." + +"Well, I don't know. If they don't come soon, I'll certainly +venture down." + +After an hour or so, during which no help came, Clive did as he +said, and, in spite of David's remonstrances, ventured down. He +went about half way. Then there was a noise of so peculiar a +character that he suddenly retreated up again, and remarked to +David, who all the time had been watching him in intense anxiety, +and begging him to come back,-- + +"Well, Dave, perhaps I'd better wait They ought to be here +before long." + +So the two prisoners waited. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +_Despair of Uncle Moses.--Frank and Bob endeavor to offer +Consolation.--The Search.--The Discovery at the Convent.--The +Guide.--The old House.--The Captives.--The Alarm given.--Flight +of Uncle Moses and his Party.--Albans! to the Rescue!--The Delivering +Host!_ + + +On leaving the convent, Frank and Bob had hurried back to Albano, +where they found dinner ready, and Uncle Moses waiting for them in +anxious impatience. This anxious impatience was not by any means +diminished when he saw only two out of the four coming back to him, +nor was it alleviated one whit when they informed him that David +and Clive had gone to see some subterranean passage, of the nature +or location of which they had but the vaguest possible conception. +His first impulse was to go forth at once in search of them, and +bring them back with him by main force; and it was only with extreme +difficulty that Frank and Bob dissuaded him from this. + +"Why, they're perfectly safe--as safe as if they were here," said +Frank. "It isn't possible for anything at all to happen to them. +The convent guide--a monk--is with them, and a very fine fellow he +is, too. He knows all about the country." + +"O, yes; but these monks ain't to my taste. I don't like 'em," +said Uncle Moses. + +"It'll take them an hour to get back here from the place. There's +no use for you to try to go there, for you don't know the way; and +if you did go, why, they might come back and find you gone, and +then we'd have to wait for you. So, you see, the best thing to do, +Uncle Moses, is for us all to set quietly down, get our dinner, +and wait for them to come back." + +The numerous frights which Uncle Moses had already been called on +to experience about his precious but too troublesome charges had +always turned out to be groundless; and the result had invariably +been a happy one; yet this did not at all prevent Uncle Moses from +feeling as anxious, as worried, and as unsettled, on this occasion, +as he had ever been before. He sat down to the table, therefore, +because Frank urged it, and he hardly knew how to move without his +cooperation. He said nothing. He was silenced, but not convinced. +He ate nothing. He merely dallied with his knife and fork, and +played listlessly with the viands upon his plate. Frank and Bob +were both as hungry as hunters, and for some time had no eyes but +for their food. At last, however, they saw that Uncle Moses was +eating nothing; whereupon they began to remonstrate with him, and +tried very earnestly to induce him to take something. In vain. +Uncle Moses was beyond the reach of persuasion. His appetite was +gone with his wandering boys, and would not come back until they +should come also. The dinner ended, and then Uncle Moses grew more +restless than ever. He walked out, and paced the street up and +down, every little while coming back to the hotel, and looking +anxiously in to see if the wanderers had returned. Frank and Bob +felt sorry that he should feel so much unnecessary anxiety, but +they did not know what to do, or to say. They had done and said +all that they possibly could. Uncle Moses refused to be comforted, +and so there was nothing more for them to do. + +At length the hour passed which Frank had allotted as the time of +their absence, and still they did not come. Uncle Moses now came, +and stared at them with a disturbed face and trembling frame. He +said not a word. The situation was one which, to his mind, rendered +words useless. + +"O, come now, Uncle Moses," said Frank; "they're all right. What's +the use of imagining all sorts of nonsense? Suppose they are delayed +a few minutes longer--what of that? They couldn't reckon upon being +back in exactly an hour. The guide said, 'about an hour.' You'll +have to make some allowance." + +Uncle Moses tried to wait longer, and succeeded in controlling +himself for about half an hour more. Then he found inaction +intolerable, and insisted on Frank and Bob accompanying him on a +search for the lost ones. Frank suggested the necessity of going +to the convent first, and getting another guide. He left word at +the hotel where they had gone, and why, so that David and Clive +might follow them, or send word; and then they all three set forth +for the convent. + +On reaching the place, the first man that they saw was no other +than the guide himself. At this sight even Frank was amazed, and +a little disturbed. He asked him hurriedly where the boys were. + +"De boys?" said the guide. "Haf dey not come to de hotel?" + +"No." + +"But I did leave dem on de road to go back, and dey did go. Dey +must be back." + +"But they're not back. And I want to hunt them up," said Frank. +"Where was the road where you say you left them?" + +"I will go myself and show you de ver place," said the guide. "Do +not fear. Dere can come no harm. It is not possibile." + +With these words the guide set forth to take them', to the place. +These words of the guide added; if possible, to the deep distress +and dismay of Uncle Moses. He was only conscious now that the boys +were without any guide in some unknown, perhaps dangerous place. +If he feared while he supposed that they had a guide, his fears +under these new and worse circumstances were far greater. + +On the way the guide explained all about it. He told about the +tunnel, about the path which he had recommended as a short cut. He +declared that it was perfectly straight, and that it was impossible +for any one to get lost between Albano and the place where he left +them. There was no place, he declared, for them to get lost in. It +was quite open--a little valley--that was all. + +But this gave no comfort to poor Uncle Moses. He walked along +looking ten years older, with his face full of grief. At length +the guide came to the path along which he had sent David and Clive, +and turning into this, he walked along in the direction where he +had seen them go. + +"We haf now," he said, "to walk to de hotel at Albano, and you sall +find dey did come back, and will be dere at dis moments." + +"What a joke it would be," cried Frank, "if they have got back, +and have started off after us! I wonder whether they would. Not +they. I don't believe it. They're starving, and will think of +nothing but their dinners." + +But poor Uncle Moses refused to see any "joke" at all. It was a +deeply solemn reality to his poor, distracted breast. + +At length they came within sight of the house. + +As they walked on, there came to their ears a long, shrill yell. +All of them started. At first they did not detect the source of +the sound. Then it was repeated. + +"Hallo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!" + +They looked all around. Frank saw two figures, one at each window +of the old house. + +"Hallo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!" + +The cry was repeated. It came from these two figures. Those must +be David and Clive; but how in the name of wonder had they got +there, and what were they doing? But he said not a word. He merely +pointed, and then started off at a full run, followed first by Bob, +then by the guide, and last by Uncle Moses, who did not yet comprehend +why Frank was running, or where. + +A smart run of only a few minutes brought them to the place. There +they saw David at one window, and Clive at the other. Both of them +appeared to be tremendously excited, and were shouting to them most +vociferously, both together, in an utterly confused an unintelligible +manner. At length some words in the midst of their outcries became +distinguishable. + +"Keep back! O, keep back! The wild boar! The wild boar! Run for +help! Keep back! You'll be torn to pieces! Keep back! Run for help." + +At this Uncle Moses shrank back in spite of himself, and the +guide looked much disturbed; but Frank and Bob stubbornly +stood their ground. + +"What do you mean?" cried Frank. "Don't kick up such a row. What +wild boar? Where is he?" + +"Underneath!" bawled Clive. + +"He's watching us," shouted David. + +"He was hid in there, and we came in and waked him. We got up here, +and he won't let us out!" + +"He'll spring at you if you come any nearer," shouted David. + +"Keep back! O, keep back! I hear him now," bawled Clive. + +"Go and get help!" cried David. "Get a gun--or something!" + +"Help us out soon," cried Clive; "we're starving!" + +"Keep back!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +"Go and get help!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +"Get a gun!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +"Help!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +"Take care!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +"He'll tear you to pieces!" cried Clive. + do. cried David. + +Etc., etc., etc.! + +"Come back," said the guide, in evident anxiety. "We are too near. +We can do notin', We mas get arm." + +"But do you think there really is a wild boar there?" asked Frank. + +The guide said nothing, but shook his head solemnly, and looked +unutterable things. Mean while he continued to retreat, watching +the small door of the old house, and the rest followed him, as they +thought he knew better what ought to be done than they did. The +guide took up that line of retreat which led towards Albano, and +as he did so he watched the door of the house with evident anxiety, +as though fearful of seeing at any moment the formidable beast +bound forth to rush upon them. But at length, after he had placed +a considerable distance between himself and the old house, he began +to breathe more freely, and to think about what ought next to be +done. + +"Do you think it really is a wild boar?" asked Frank once more of +the guide. + +"Dey did say dat, dey did see him," said he. + +"Yes; but how do they know? They never saw a wild boar," objected +Frank. + +"Any man dat sees a wild boar will know him," said the guide. + +"I didn't know that there--were any about here." + +"About here?" + +"Yes; so near the town, and public roads. I thought that an animal +like the wild boar prefers the moat solitary places, and will never +come near where men are living." + +"Dat is right," said the guide. "Dat is so. Bot sommataime dey go +wild--dey lose der young--or sommatin like dat, so dey go wild, +and wander, an if dey happen to come near a villa, dey are terrible." + +"But how could this one have come here?" + +"Italia is full of dem--dey wander about like dis." + +"But they live so far off." + +"O, no; dis one come from de mountain--not far--dat old house in +de valley, just de place for his den." + +After this Frank could doubt no longer, although he had been so +obstinate in his disbelief. The affair of the previous night had +produced a powerful effect on his mind; and he was exceedingly +unwilling to allow himself again to be beguiled into a belief in +any danger that was not real. Had the guide not believed this so +firmly, and insisted on it so strongly, he would have felt certain +that the animal in the house was some commonplace one--a goat--a +dog--anything, rather than a wild boar. However, as it was, he had +nothing left but to believe what was said. + +As for Uncle Moses, he was now quite himself again. The boys were +safe, at any rate. True, they were confined in the loft of an old +house, with a ferocious wild beast barring the way to liberty; but +then he reflected that this ferocious wild beast could not get near +them. Had it been a bear, the affair would have been most serious; +but a wild boar, as he knew, could not climb into a loft. For among +the intelligence which David and Clive had managed to communicate, +was the very reassuring fact that the boar could not get at them, +as the loft was only reached by a ladder. The return to Albano +was in every way satisfactory to his feelings, for he saw that this +was the only way of delivering the boys, who could not be rescued +without some more formidable arms than their own unassisted strength. + +In a short time they were back in Albano, and soon the news flew +about the town. In accordance with the invariable rule, the story +was considerably enlarged as it passed from mouth to mouth, so that +by the time it reached the last person that heard it,--a poor old +bed-ridden priest, by the way,--it had grown to the following highly +respectable dimensions:-- + +Two wealthy English milors had gone into the Alban tunnel in search +of adventures. While down there they had discovered the lair of a +wild boar, and had killed the young, the old ones being away. They +had then made good their retreat, carrying their slaughtered victims +with them. The wild boar had returned with the wild sow, and both, +scenting their young pigs' blood in the air, had given chase to +the murderers. These last had fled in frantic haste, and had just +succeeded in finding a refuge in the old windmill, and in climbing +into the upper loft as the infuriated animals came up. Seeing the +legs of the murderers just vanishing up into the hole, one of the +beasts had leaped madly upward, and had bitten off a portion of +the calf of the leg of one of them. Then, in sullen vengeance, the +two fierce animals took up their station there, one in the chamber +below, the other in front of the door, to guard their prey, and +effect their destruction. They had already been there a week. One +of the prisoners had died from the effects of his terrible wound, +and the other was now dying of starvation. Fortunately, Brother +Antonio (the guide) had been told about this in a vision the night +before, had visited the surviving milor, had talked with him from +a safe distance, had seen the terrible animals, and had now come +to Albano to get help towards releasing the unhappy survivor. + +From the above it may readily be conjectured that the call for +help was not made in vain. The sufferings of the imprisoned +captive excited universal sympathy, and the presence of the wild +boars in so close proximity, filled all men with a desire to +capture them or slay them. The story that was generally believed +was one which may be briefly described as occupying a position +somewhere about midway between the above startling fiction and +the truth. Such as it was, it had the effect of drawing forth +the population of Albano as it bad never been drawn forth before; +and as they went forth they presented a scene such as those of +which the mediaeval legends tell us, where the whole population +of some town which had been desolated by a dragon, went forth en +masse to do battle with the monster. + +So they now marched forth,-- + Men with scythes. + do. " hoes. + do. " rakes. + do. " shovels. + do. " tongs. + do. " brooms. + do. " bean-poles. + do. " carving-knives. + do. " umbrellas. + do. " stones. + do. " earthen pans. + do. " bricks. + do. " charcoal. + do. " chairs. + do. " spits. + do. " bed-posts. + do. " crowbars. + do. " augers. + do. " spades. + do. " stakes. + do. " clubs. + Men with staves, + do. " opera-glasses. + do. " sickles. + do. " colters. + do. " ploughshares. + do. " wheelbarrows. + do. " pitchforks. + do. " posts. + do. " beams. + do. " bolts. + do. " bars. + do. " hinges. + do. " pokers. + do. " saucepans. + do. " mallets. + do. " hammers. + do. " saws. + do. " chisels. + do. " ropes. + do. " chains. + do. " grappling irons. +together with a miscellaneous collection of articles +snatched up at a moment's warning by an excited +multitude, men, women, and children, headed by +Frank, who wielded triumphantly an old fowling-piece, +loaded with a double charge, that could do +no damage to any one save the daring individual +that might venture to discharge it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +_Arma Virumque cano!--The Chase of the Wild Boar!--The Prisoners +at the Window.--The Alban Army.--Wild Uproar.--Three hundred and +sixty-five Pocket Handkerchiefs.--Flame.--Smoking out the +Monster.--A Salamander._ + + +Arma puerosque cano! + +Sing, O muse, the immortal Albanian Boar Hunt! + +How outside the doomed town of Albano lurked the mighty monster in +his lair. + +How the frightened messengers roused the people to action. + +How the whole population, stimulated to deeds of bold emprise, +grasped each the weapon that lay nearest, whether bolt, or bar, or +tool of mechanic, or implement of husbandry, and then, joining +their forces, went forth to do battle against the Fell Destroyer. + +How the pallid victims, imprisoned in the topmost tower, gazed with +staring eyes upon the mighty delivering host, and shouted out +blessings upon their heads. + +How the sight of the pallid victims cheered the bold deliverers, +and drew them nearer to the lair of the monster. + +And so forth. + +Very well. + +To resume. + +Stationed at the window, David and Clive saw their friends vanish +in the direction of Albano, and knew that they had gone for help. +This thought so cheered them, that in spite of a somewhat protracted +absence, they bore up well, and diversified the time between +watchings at the window, and listenings at the head of the ladder. +From the window nothing was visible for a long time; but from the +head of the ladder there came up at intervals such sounds as +indicated that the fierce wild boar was still as restless, as +ruthless, as hungry, and as vigilant as ever. + +Then came up to their listening ears the same sounds already +described, together with hoarser tones of a more pronouncedly +grunting description, which showed more truly that the beast was +in very truth a wild boar. But Clive did not venture down again, +nor did he even mention the subject. His former attempt had been +most satisfactory, since it satisfied him that no other attempt +could be thought of. In spite of this, however, both the boys had +risen to a more cheerful frame of mind. Their future began to look +brighter, and the prospect of a rescue served to put them both. +into comparative good humor, the only drawback to which was their +now ravenous hunger. + +At length the army of their deliverers appeared, and David, who +was watching at the window, shouted to Clive, who was listening at +the opening, whereupon the latter rushed to the other window. + +The delivering host drew nigh, and then at a respectable distance +halted and surveyed the scene of action. + +Frank and Bob came on, however, without stopping, followed by Uncle +Moses, after whom came the guide. Frank with his old fowling-piece, +Bob with a pitchfork, Uncle Moses with a scythe, and the guide with +a rope. What each one proposed to do was doubtful; but our travellers +had never been strong on weapons of war, and the generous Alban +people seemed to be in the same situation. + +As Frank and his companions moved nearer, the rest of the multitude +took courage and followed, though in an irregular fashion. + +Soon Frank came near enough to speak. + +"Is he there yet?" was his first remark. + +"Yes," said Clive. + +"Where?" + +"At the left end of the lower room, under a pile of fagots." + +"Can't you manage to drive him out, so that I can get a shot at +him?" asked Frank, proudly brandishing his weapon. + +"O, no. We can't do anything." + +"I wish you could," said Frank. + +"I wish we could too." said David, fervently. + +Upon this Frank talked with the guide. The question was, what +should they do now? The most desirable thing was, to draw the +wild beast out of his lair, so that they might have a fair chance +with him; but, unfortunately, the wild beast utterly refused to +move from his lair. + +After some talk with his guide, Frank suggested that a large number +of the crowd should go to the rear, and the left end of the house, +and strike at it, and utter appalling cries, so as to frighten the +wild boar and drive him out. This proposal the guide explained to +the crowd, who at once proceeded with the very greatest alacrity +to act upon it. Most of them were delighted at the idea, of fighting +the enemy in that fashion; and so it happened that the entire crowd +took up their station in a dense mass at the rear of the building; +and then they proceeded to beat upon the walls of the house, to +shout, to yell, and to utter such hideous sounds, that any ordinary +animal would simply have gone mad with fright, and died on the +spot. But this animal proved to be no ordinary one in this respect. +Either he was accustomed to strange noises, or else he had such +nerves of steel, that the present uproar affected him no more than +the sighing of the gentlest summer breeze; indeed, David and Clive +were far more affected, for at the first outbreak of that tumultuous +uproar, they actually jumped from the floor, and thought that the +rickety old house was tumbling about their ears. + +During this proceeding, Frank stood bravely in front of the door, +about a dozen yards off, with his rusty fowling-piece; and close +beside him stood Bob with his pitchfork, Uncle Moses with his +scythe, and the guide with his rope. + +"He doesn't care for this at all," said Frank, in a dejected tone. +"We must try something else. What shall we do?" + +And saying this, he turned once more and talked with the guide. + +Meanwhile David and Clive, who had recovered their equanimity, +rushed to the opening, and began to assist their friends by doing +what they could to frighten the wild boar. + +"Shoo-o-o-o-o-o!" said David. + +"Hs-s-s-s-s-s-s!" said Clive. + +"Bo-o-o-o-o-o-o!" said David. + +"Gr-r-r-r-r-r-r!" cried Clive. + +But the wild boar did not move, even though the uproar without +still continued. + +Then Clive went down the ladder a little distance, far enough down +so that by bending, his head was below the upper floor. Then he +took his hat and hurled it with all his might and main at the pile +of fagots. + +Then he went up again. + +But the wild boar did not move. + +Thereupon David went down, and he went a little lower. He took his +hat, and uttering a hideous yell, he threw it with all his force +at the fagots. + +But even this failed to alarm the wild boar. David stood for a +moment after this bold deed and listened. The only satisfaction +that he had was the sound of a low, comfortable grunt, that seemed +to show that the present situation was one which was rather +enjoyed than otherwise by this formidable, this indomitable, this +invincible beast. + +They came back to the windows in despair, and by this time Frank +had finished his discussion with the guide. He was looking up +anxiously towards them. + +"Look here," said he; "that miserable wild boar won't come +out. The guide thinks the only way to get at him is to smoke +him out. The only trouble is about you. Will the smoke bother +yon, do you think?" + +"I don't know," said Clive. + +"Can you stop up the opening?" + +"No." + +"Can you keep your heads oat of the windows?" + +"We'll try. But I wish you'd only thought of bringing a ladder, so +as to get us out first, before smoking him." + +"Yes, I wish we had," said Frank, thoughtfully. "But never mind," +he added, cheerily, "there's no use going back for one, because, +you see, we'll have you out of that long before a ladder could be +brought here." + +It was only by yelling at the top of their voices that they were +able to make themselves heard by one another, for the crowd behind +the house still kept up their yells, and knockings, and thumpings, +and waited to hear that the wild boar had fled. As the time passed +without any such news, they were only stimulated to fresh efforts, +and howled more fearfully and yelled more deafeningly. + +"There's an awful waste of energy and power about here, somehow," +said Frank. "There ought to be some way of getting at that wretched +beast, without all this nonsense. Here we are,--I don't know how +many of us, but the whole population of a town, at any rate, against +one,--and what's worse, we don't seem to make any impression." + +Meanwhile the guide had gone off among the crowd, and while Frank +was grumbling, he was busying himself among them, and was engaged +in carrying out a very brilliant idea that had just suggested itself +to him. In a short time he returned with an armful of something, +the nature of which Frank could not quite make out. + +"What have you got there?" he asked. "What are you going to do?" + +"Dey are all handkerchiefs." + +"Handkerchiefs?" + +"Yes; de handkerchiefs of de population of Albano. Dey are as many +as de days of de year." + +"I should think so," cried Frank, in amazement. "But what are you +going to do with them?" + +"Do wit dem? I am going to make a smoke." + +"A smoke? What? Are you going to burn them up?" + +"Dere is notin else to burn; so I must burn what I can. See, I make +a bundle of dese. I set fire to dem. Dey burn--dey smoke--and de +boar smoke out. Aha! he suffocate--he expire--he run!" + +"Well, if that isn't the greatest idea I ever heard of!" cried +Frank. "Handkerchiefs! Why, you must have hundreds of them in +that bundle." + +The guide smiled, and made no answer. It was a brilliant idea. +It was all his own. He was proud of it. He was pleased to think +that the number of them was equal to the number of days in the +year. Three hundred and sixty-five handkerchiefs collected from +the good, the virtuous, the self-sacrificing people of Albano, +who were now yelling and howling as before, at the rear of the +house, and diversifying the uproar by loud calls and inquiries +about the wild boar. + +The guide smiled cheerily over the handkerchiefs. He was so proud +of his original idea! He went calmly on, forming them into a +rough bundle, doing it very dexterously, so that the bundle might +be tight enough to hold together, yet loose enough to burn, Frank +watched him curiously. So did Bob. So did Uncle Moses. So did Clive. +So did David. Three hundred and sixty-five handkerchiefs! Only +think of it! + +At last the work was finished. The handkerchiefs rolled up into a +big ball, loose, yet cohesive, with ends hanging out in all +directions. + +"You had better be careful what you do," said Clive. "The end of +the chamber below is full of dry fagots. If they were to catch +fire, what would come of us?" + +"O, alla right," said the guide. "Nevare fear. I trow him so +he sall not go near de wood. He make no flame, only de smoke. +Nevare fear." + +At this the trepidation which these preparations bad excited in +the minds of Clive and David, departed, and they watched the +subsequent proceedings without a word. + +The guide now took the bundle which he had formed out of the +handkerchiefs of the population of Albano, and holding it under +his left arm, he drew forth some matches, and breaking off one, he +struck it against the sole of his boot. It kindled. Thereupon he +held the Same to the bundle of handkerchiefs. The flame caught. +The bundle blazed. The guide held it for some time till the blaze +caught at one after another of the projecting ends of the rolled-up +handkerchiefs, and the flame had eaten its way into the mass, and +then venturing nearer to the doorway, he advanced, keeping a little +on one side, and watching for an opportunity to throw it in. Frank +followed with his rusty gun, Bob with his pitchfork, and Uncle +Moses with his scythe. All were ready, either for attack or defence, +and all the while the bellowing of the crowd behind the house went +on uninterruptedly. + +The guide reached at length a point about ten feet from the door. +Then he poised himself and took aim. Then he threw the burning ball. + +But his aim was bad. The ball struck the side of the doorway, and +fell outside. In an instant Frank rushed forward, and seizing it, +threw it inside. It fell on the floor, and rolled towards the foot +of the ladder, where it lay blazing, and smouldering, and sending +forth smoke enough to satisfy the most exacting mind. + +Then Frank drew back a little, poising his gun, while Bob, Uncle +Moses, and the guide, took up their stations beside him. + +The smoke rose up bravely from the burning mass; but after all, +the result was not what had been desired. It rolled up through the +opening above, and gathered in blue masses in the room where Clive +and David were imprisoned. They felt the effects of the pungent +vapors very quickly, more especially in their eyes, which stung, +and smarted and emitted torrents of tears. Their only refuge from +this new evil was to thrust their heads as far out of the windows +as was possible; and this they did by sitting on the window ledge, +clinging to the wall, and projecting their bodies far forward +outside of the house. For a time they were sustained by the hope +that their enemy below was feeling it worse than they were, and +that he would soon relax his vigilant watch and fly. But alas! +that enemy showed no signs of flight, and it soon became evident +to them and to those outside, that all the smoke went to the upper +room, to oppress the prisoners, and but little spread through the +lower room; so little, indeed, that the wild boar did not feel any +inconvenience in particular. + +"Can't you do something?" asked Clive, imploringly. + +"We can't stand this much longer," said David, despairingly, with +streaming eyes, and choking voice. + +Their words sounded faint and low amidst the yelling of the crowd +behind the house, who still maintained their stations there, from +preference, and kept up their terrific outcry. Amid the yells +there came occasional anxious inquiries as to the success of +their efforts. At times messengers would venture from the rear +to the front to reconnoitre. These messengers, however, were +only few in number, and their reconnoitring was of the most +superficial description possible. + +The latest experiment of the guide was the cause of more frequent +and more urgent inquiries. So many handkerchiefs had been invested +in this last venture, that it was brought nearer home than before. +Each man felt that he was concerned personally in the affair; +that, in fact, he, in the shape of a representative of so important +a kind as his own handkerchief, was already inside, and assailing +the obstinate monster with a more terrible arm than any which had +yet been employed--smoke and fire. + +But the clamor of the crowd had not so much effect on the little +band in front, as the sight of poor Clive and David, who, clinging +to the window with their faces flushed, and their eyes red, swollen, +and streaming with tears, appeared unable to hold out much longer. + +"Do something or other, quick," cried Clive. + +"I'll have to jump down," said David. + +And both, of them tried to push themselves farther out, while their +faces were turned down, and they seemed anxiously measuring with +their eyes the distance between themselves and the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +_The Salamander inaccessible to Fire.--The last Appeal.--Frank +takes Action.--He fires.--Casualty to Frank and Bob.--Onset of the +Monster.--Flight.--Tremendous Sensation.--The Guide's Story.--Another +Legend of Albano.--On to Rome._ + + +For some time Frank had felt an intolerable impatience, and had +been deliberating in his own mind about the best way of ending a +scene which was not only painful to the poor prisoners, but +humiliating to himself. In spite, however, of the immense odds in +favor of the attacking party, Frank could not think of any way of +making those odds available under present circumstances, when the +last plaintive appeal and the desperate proposal of Clive and David +came to his ears. He saw that they were suffering tortures from +the smoke, that they could not endure it much longer, and that they +would have to make a descent from the window. To prevent this, and +the danger that might result from it, Frank resolved upon immediate +action. + +So he grasped his rusty fowling-piece with a deadly purpose, and +rushed to the narrow doorway of the old house. Bob followed at once +with his pitchfork, resolved to go wherever Frank led the way, and +to stand by him at all hazards. The guide stood looking on. Uncle +Moses also stood still, and made a feeble attempt to order the two +boys back; but his words were neither heard nor heeded. At this +David and Clive stopped in their desperate design, and looked down +at Frank and Bob. + +Frank stood by the doorway. + +He put his head inside, and looked all around, cautiously, yet +resolutely. The interior, however, was always a dark place; and +now the fumes of blue smoke made it yet darker. But though his eyes +saw nothing of the fierce beast, his ears could detect the rustle +and the crackle which were produced by the motion of something +among the fagots. This noise showed him plainly where it must be. + +Thereupon he hesitated no longer. + +He raised his rusty fowling-piece to his shoulder! + +He took deadly aim! + +He fired! + +Bang!!! + +The flash illumined the dark interior, and the smoke from the +gun united with the smoke that was already there. Bat simultaneous +with the bang and the flash, Frank felt himself hurled back-ward, +and to the ground, knocked down by the recoil of the gun, flat +on his back. + +Up rushed Bob, full of the deepest anxiety. + +But just as he reached the prostrate form of Frank, there was a +hurried clatter from within, and then--down he also went--head +first--over and over--struck down by some rushing figure that had +emerged from the pile of fagots, burst through the doorway, and +was now careering wildly over the fields. + +Uncle Moses saw that figure, and then hurried up to his two +prostrate boys. + +David and Clive from their stations at the window saw it, and then +instantly hurried down the ladder, and out of the house, where they +stood panting and staring wildly at vacancy. + +The guide saw it, and as he saw it there came over his face an +expression of an utterly indescribable kind. He clasped his hands +together, and then uttered a series of exclamations for which the +English language, or indeed any other language but the Italian, +can afford no equivalent. + +While he was thus standing with clasped hands, vociferating and +staring, in company with David and Clive, at the receding figure, +Frank had sprung to his feet, and so had Bob; Uncle Moses, too, +stood gazing at the object of universal interest; and thus all of +them stood staring, with feelings that defy description, at the +scene before them. + +What was this scene that thus held their gaze? + +Well, in the first place, there was that valley, already so familiar +to David and Clive--a smooth slope on either side, some olive trees +near, but beyond that all bare, and no houses visible in that +direction. Now, over this open space there was running--so swift +and so straight that it was evidently impelled by pain or panic--what? + +_A little black pig!_ + +A pig, small, as has just been said, an ordinary domestic pig--of +no particular breed--the commonest of animals. Moreover, it was +black. It was also, undoubtedly, as has just been remarked, either +suffering from some of the shot of Frank's rusty gun, or from the +terror that might have been excited by its report. And now this +little black pig was running as fast as its absurd little legs +could carry it--far away across the fields. + +"O, holy saints!" cried the guide; "it's the little black pig, that +we missed from the convent yesterday morning--the pig--the little +black pig--the pig--the pig! Is it possible? O, is it possible?" + +Every word of this was heard by the boys. They understood it all +now. It seemed also that the little black pig, having accomplished +as much mischief as any single pig can ever hope to bring about, +was evidently making the best of its way to its home, and steering +straight, for the convent. This they saw, and they gazed in silence. +Nothing was said, for nothing could be said. They could not +even look at one another. David and Clive were of course the +most crestfallen; but the others had equal cause for humiliation. +After all their gigantic preparations, their cautions advances, +and their final blow,--to find their antagonist reduced to +this was too much. Now, the fact is, that if it had really +been a wild boar, Frank's act would have been the same; and +as he acted under the belief that it was so, it was undoubtedly +daring, and plucky, and self-sacrificing; but, unfortunately, +the conclusion of the affair did not allow him to look upon +it in that light. + +Now, all this time the crowd behind the house maintained their +shouts and outcries. Under the circumstances, this uproar became +shockingly absurd, and out of place; so the guide hastened to put +an end to it. On the whole, he thought it was not worth while to +tell the truth, for the truth would have so excited the good people +of Albano, that they would, undoubtedly, have taken vengeance on +the strangers for such a disgrace as this. Therefore the guide +decided to let his fancy play around the actual fact, and thus it +was that the guide's story became an idealized version. + +It was something to the following effect:-- + +The terrible wild boar, he said, had been completely indifferent +to their outcry, or had, perhaps, been afraid to come forth and +face so many enemies. He (the guide) had therefore determined to +try to smoke him out, and had borrowed their handkerchiefs for that +purpose, as there were no other combustibles to be had. Of this +they were already aware. He had tied these handkerchiefs together +in such a way that they would burn, and after setting fire to them, +had burled the blazing mass into the house. There it emitted its +stifling fumes till they confused, suffocated, frightened, and +confounded the lurking wild boar. Then, in the midst of this, the +heroic youth, armed with his gun, rushed forward and poured the +deadly contents of his piece into the body of the beast. Had it +been any other annual, it would undoubtedly have perished; but the +wild boar has a hide like sheet iron, and this one was merely +irritated by the shot. Still, though not actually wounded, he was +enraged, and at the same time frightened. In his rage and fear he +started from his lurking-place; he bounded forth, and made a savage +attack upon the party in front of the house. They stood their ground +firmly and heroically, and beat him off; whereupon, in despair, he +turned and fled, vanquished, to his lair in the Alban tunnel. + +In this way the guide's vivid imagination saved the travellers from +the fury of the Alban people, by preventing that fury, and supplying +in its place self-complacency. The Alban people felt satisfied with +themselves and with this story. They accepted it as undoubted; they +took it to their homes and to their hearts; they enlarged, adorned, +improved, and lengthened it out, until, finally, it assumed the +amplest proportion, and became one of the most popular legends of +the place. What is still more wonderful, this very guide, who had +first created it, told it so often to parties of tourists, that he +at length grew to believe every word of it himself; and the fact +that he had been an actor in that scene never failed to make his +story quite credible to his hearers. + +At this time, however, he had not advanced so far, and he was able +to tell the actual facts of the case to the boys and Uncle Moses. + +They were these:-- + +At the convent they kept a number of pigs, and on the previous +day, early in the morning, they had missed the very animal which +had created this extraordinary scene. He had escaped in some way +from his pen, and had fled for parts unknown. They had searched +for him, but in vain. He must have wandered to this old house at +the first, and taken up his quarters here until he was so rudely +driven out from them. The guide could only hope that the little +black pig would learn a lesson from this of the evils of running +away from home. + +To all this the boys listened without any interest whatever, and +did not condescend to make any remarks. The guide himself became +singularly uninteresting in their eyes, and they got rid of him as +soon as possible, paying him liberally, however for the additional +trouble to which they had put him. Uncle Moses also had some words +of remonstrance, mingled with congratulation, to offer to David +and Clive; but these also were heard in silence. They might have +found ample excuse for their delay in this ruined house; but they +did not feel inclined to offer any excuses whatever. + +The fact is, this reduction of the great wild boar to the very +insignificant proportions of a little black pig--commonplace, +paltry, and altogether contemptible--was too much for their +sensitive natures. It had placed them all in a false position. +They were not cowards, but they had all been alarmed by the most +despicable of animals. Frank felt profoundly humiliated, and +reflected, with a blush, upon the absurd figure that he had made +of himself in hesitating so long before such an enemy, and then +advancing upon it in such a way. Bob's feelings were very similar. +But it was for David and Clive that the deepest mortification +was reserved. They had been the cause of it all. It was their +vivid imaginations which had conjured up out of nothing a terrible +wild beast, which had kept them prisoners there for hours in +loneliness and hunger, and which had thrown ridicule upon the +population of Albano, by drawing them forth to do battle with +one poor little harmless runaway pig. + +As they walked back to the hotel, they kept far in the rear of the +citizens of Albano; and Uncle Moses began to "improve" the occasion, +and moralized in a solemn strain. + +"Wal," said he, "my dear boys, I must say that you hev one and all +the greatest talent for gittin' yourselves into trouble that I ever +see. Ever sence we landed on these ill-fated shores you've ben +a-goin' it, and a drivin' of me wild with anxiety; and the only +thing I can say is, that thus far your misadventoors hain't turned +out so bad as I have feared in each individdool case. In fact thar's +allus ben what they call a anticlimax; that is, jest at the moment +when thar'd ought to be a te-rific di-saster, thar's ben nothin' +but some trivial or laugherble tummination. Now, I'm free to confess, +boys, that thus far my fears hev ben gerroundless. I'm free to +say that thus far thar hain't ben what we can conscuentionsly call +a accident. But what of that? The incidents hev all ben thar. Every +individdool thing that can make a accident has ben thar--it's ony +the conclusion that has somehow broke down. And now I ask you, +boys, what air we goin' to do about it? Is this to go on forever? +Is it perrobable that advuss circumstances air goin' to allus +eventooate thus? I don't believe it. The pitcher that goes often +to the fountain is broke at last, and depend upon it, if you go +for to carry on this way, and thrust yourselves in every danger +that comes in your way--somethin'll happen--mind I tell you." + +This, and much more of the same sort, did Uncle Moses say; but to +all of it the boys paid very little attention. In fact, the subject +was to all of them so painful a one, that they could not bear to +have it brought forward even as the text of a sermon. They only +wanted to forget all about it as soon as possible, and let it sink +into complete oblivion. + +On reaching the hotel they found that it was quite late; but they +were eager to go on. Albano, the historic, had lost all its charms +for them. They did not wish to remain, a moment longer. They could +not hope now to see Rome to advantage, for the daylight would be +over long before they could enter the city; still they were determined +to go on to Rome, even if they had to enter it after dark. +Accordingly, the carriage was made ready as soon as possible; Clive +and David procured some fragments of food, which they took into +the carriage with them, to devour on their way; and thus they left +Albano, and drove on to Rome. + + + + +END + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Among the Brigands, by James de Mille + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMONG THE BRIGANDS *** + +***** This file should be named 29297.txt or 29297.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/2/9/29297/ + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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