ACROSS THE BAY
Tom Horton called an hour later. He was in despair because his party had
decided to leave Naples for Rome, and he feared Beth would be engulfed
by the volcano unless he was present to protect her.
"Mr. Merrick," said the boy, earnestly, "you'll take good care of Miss
De Graf, sir, won't you? We both live in Ohio, you know, and we've just
got acquainted; and--and I'd like to see her again, some time, if she
escapes."
Uncle John's eyes twinkled, but he drew a long face.
"My dear Tom," he said, "don't ask me to take care of anyone--please
don't! I brought these girls along to take care of _me_--three of 'em,
sir--and they've got to do their duty. Don't you worry about the girls;
just you worry about _me_."
That was not much consolation for the poor fellow, but he could do
nothing more than wring their hands--Beth's twice, by mistake--and wish
them good luck before he hurried away to rejoin his family.
"I'm sorry to see him go," said Beth, honestly. "Tom is a nice boy."
"Quite right," agreed Uncle John. "I hope we shall meet no worse fellows
than Tom Horton."
At noon they were served a modest luncheon in their rooms, for Signor
Floriano, having sent his important papers to a place of safety, had
resolved to stick to his hotel and do his duty by any guests that chose
to remain with him in defiance of the existent conditions. He had
succeeded in retaining a few servants who had more courage than those
that had stampeded at the first alarm, and while the hotel service for
the next few days was very inadequate, no one was liable to suffer any
great privation.
During the afternoon the gloom grew denser than before, while thicker
than ever fell the rain of ashes. This was the worst day Naples
experienced during the great eruption, and Uncle John and his nieces
were content to keep their rooms and live in the glare of electric
lights. Owing to their wise precautions to keep out the heavily laden
air they breathed as little lava dust into their lungs as any people,
perhaps, in the city; but to escape all was impossible. Their eyes and
throats became more or less inflamed by the floating atoms, and the
girls declared they felt as if they were sealed up in a tomb.
"Well, my chickens, how do you like being abroad, and actually in
Europe?" enquired Uncle John, cheerfully.
Beth and Patsy smiled at him, but Louise looked up from the Baedecker
she was studying and replied:
"It's simply delightful, Uncle, and I'm glad we happened here during
this splendid eruption of Vesuvius. Only--only--"
"Only what, my dear?"
"Only it is such hard work to keep clean," answered his dainty niece.
"Even the water is full of lava, and I'm sure my face looks like a
chimney-sweep's."
"And you, Beth?"
"I don't like it, Uncle. I'm sure I'd prefer Naples in sunshine,
although this is an experience we can brag about when we get home."
"That is the idea, exactly," said Louise, "and the only thing that
reconciles me to the discomforts. Thousands see Naples in sunshine, but
few can boast seeing Vesuvius in eruption. It will give us considerable
prestige when we return home."
"Ah, that is why I selected this time to bring you here," declared Uncle
John, with a comical wink. "I ordered the eruption before I left home,
and I must say they've been very prompt about it, and done the thing up
brown. Eh, Patsy?"
"Right you are, Uncle. But you might tell 'em to turn off the eruption
now, because we've had enough."
"Don't like Eu-rope, eh?"
"Why, if I thought all Europe was surrounded by volcanoes, I'd go home
at once, if I had to walk. But the geographies don't mention many of
these spouters, so we may as well stick out our present experience and
hope the rest of the continent will behave better. The Major'll be
worried to death when he hears of this."
"I've sent him a cable," said Uncle John.
"What did you say?" asked Patsy, eagerly.
"'All safe and well and enjoying the fireworks.'"
"I'm glad you did that," replied the girl, deeply grateful at this
evidence of thoughtfulness. "It's bad enough for the Major to have me
away, without making him worry, into the bargain."
"Well, no one is likely to worry about me," said Beth, philosophically.
"Mother seldom reads the papers, except to get the society news,"
remarked Louise. "I doubt if she'll hear of the eruption, unless the
Major happens to tell her."
"I've cabled them all," said Uncle John. "They're entitled to know that
their kidiwinkles are in good shape."
The evening was a tedious one, although they tried to enliven it with a
game of bridge, in which Uncle John and Louise were quite proficient
and the others dreadfully incompetent. Once in a while the volcano
thundered a deep detonation that caused the windows to shiver, but the
Americans were getting used to the sound and paid little heed to it.
In the morning the wind had shifted, and although the air was still full
of dust all near-by objects were clearly visible and even the outline of
Vesuvius could be seen sending skyward its pillar of black smoke.
Colonel Angeli appeared soon after breakfast, his uniform fresh and
bright and his boyish face beaming as pleasantly as ever.
"Vesuvio is better," said he, "but the rascal has badly acted and done
much harm to our poor people. Like Herculaneum, our Boscatrecase is
covered with lava; like Pompeii our Ottajano is buried in ashes. Let me
advise you. To-day go to Sorrento, and there stay for a time, until we
can the dust brush from our streets and prepare to welcome you with the
comfort more serene. I must myself ride to the villages that are
suffering. My men are already gone, with the Red-Cross corps, to succor
whom they can. I will send to you word when you may return. Just now,
should you stay, you will be able to see nothing at all."
"I believe that is wise counsel," replied Uncle John.
"Sorrento has no ashes," continued the Colonel, "and from there you may
watch the volcano better than from Naples. To-day come the Duke and
Duchess d'Aosta to render assistance to the homeless and hungry;
to-morrow His Majesty the King will be here to discover what damage has
been caused. Alas! we have no sackcloth, but we are in ashes. I trust
you will pardon my poor Naples for her present inhospitality."
"Sure thing," said Uncle John. "The city may be under a cloud, but her
people are the right stuff, and we are greatly obliged to you for all
your kindness to us."
"But that is so little!" said the colonel, deprecatingly.
They decided to leave their heavy baggage at the Hotel du Vesuve, and
carried only their suit-cases and light luggage aboard the little
steamer that was bound across the bay for Sorrento. The decks were
thronged with people as eager to get away from the stricken city as were
our friends, and Uncle John was only enabled to secure seats for his
girls by bribing a steward so heavily that even that modern brigand was
amazed at his good fortune.
The ride was short but very interesting, for they passed under the
shadow of the smoking mountain and came into a fresh, sweet atmosphere
that was guiltless of a speck of the disagreeable lava dust that had so
long annoyed them. The high bluffs of Sorrento, with their picturesque
villas and big hotels, seemed traced in burnished silver by the strong
sunshine, and every member of Uncle John's party was glad that Colonel
Angeli had suggested this pleasant change of condition.
Small boats took them ashore and an elevator carried them swiftly to the
top of the cliff and deposited them on the terrace of the Victoria, a
beautiful inn that nestled in a garden brilliant with splendid flowers
and shrubbery. Here they speedily established themselves, preparing to
enjoy their first real experience of "Sunny Italy."