CHAPTER VIII
ACROSS THE BAY
Tom Horton called an hour later. He was in despair because his party haddecided to leave Naples for Rome, and he feared Beth would be engulfedby the volcano unless he was present to protect her.
"Mr. Merrick," said the boy, earnestly, "you'll take good care of MissDe Graf, sir, won't you? We both live in Ohio, you know, and we've justgot acquainted; and--and I'd like to see her again, some time, if sheescapes."
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--pleasedon'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 donothing more than wring their hands--Beth's twice, by mistake--and wishthem 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 fellowsthan Tom Horton."
At noon they were served a modest luncheon in their rooms, for SignorFloriano, having sent his important papers to a place of safety, hadresolved to stick to his hotel and do his duty by any guests that choseto remain with him in defiance of the existent conditions. He hadsucceeded in retaining a few servants who had more courage than thosethat had stampeded at the first alarm, and while the hotel service forthe next few days was very inadequate, no one was liable to suffer anygreat privation.
During the afternoon the gloom grew denser than before, while thickerthan ever fell the rain of ashes. This was the worst day Naplesexperienced during the great eruption, and Uncle John and his nieceswere content to keep their rooms and live in the glare of electriclights. Owing to their wise precautions to keep out the heavily ladenair they breathed as little lava dust into their lungs as any people,perhaps, in the city; but to escape all was impossible. Their eyes andthroats became more or less inflamed by the floating atoms, and thegirls declared they felt as if they were sealed up in a tomb.
"Well, my chickens, how do you like being abroad, and actually inEurope?" enquired Uncle John, cheerfully.
Beth and Patsy smiled at him, but Louise looked up from the Baedeckershe was studying and replied:
"It's simply delightful, Uncle, and I'm glad we happened here duringthis 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 achimney-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 thatreconciles me to the discomforts. Thousands see Naples in sunshine, butfew can boast seeing Vesuvius in eruption. It will give us considerableprestige when we return home."
"Ah, that is why I selected this time to bring you here," declared UncleJohn, 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 upbrown. Eh, Patsy?"
"Right you are, Uncle. But you might tell 'em to turn off the eruptionnow, because we've had enough."
"Don't like Eu-rope, eh?"
"Why, if I thought all Europe was surrounded by volcanoes, I'd go homeat once, if I had to walk. But the geographies don't mention many ofthese spouters, so we may as well stick out our present experience andhope the rest of the continent will behave better. The Major'll beworried 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 thisevidence of thoughtfulness. "It's bad enough for the Major to have meaway, 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 theMajor happens to tell her."
"I've cabled them all," said Uncle John. "They're entitled to know thattheir kidiwinkles are in good shape."
The evening was a tedious one, although they tried to enliven it with agame of bridge, in which Uncle John and Louise were quite proficientand the others dreadfully incompetent. Once in a while the volcanothundered a deep detonation that caused the windows to shiver, but theAmericans 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 fullof dust all near-by objects were clearly visible and even the outline ofVesuvius could be seen sending skyward its pillar of black smoke.
Colonel Angeli appeared soon after breakfast, his uniform fresh andbright and his boyish face beaming as pleasantly as ever.
"Vesuvio is better," said he, "but the rascal has badly acted and donemuch harm to our poor people. Like Herculaneum, our Boscatrecase iscovered with lava; like Pompeii our Ottajano is buried in ashes. Let meadvise you. To-day go to Sorrento, and there stay for a time, until wecan the dust brush from our streets and prepare to welcome you with thecomfort more serene. I must myself ride to the villages that aresuffering. My men are already gone, with the Red-Cross corps, to succorwhom 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 maywatch the volcano better than from Naples. To-day come the Duke andDuchess d'Aosta to render assistance to the homeless and hungry;to-morrow His Majesty the King will be here to discover what damage hasbeen caused. Alas! we have no sackcloth, but we are in ashes. I trustyou will pardon my poor Naples for her present inhospitality."
"Sure thing," said Uncle John. "The city may be under a cloud, but herpeople are the right stuff, and we are greatly obliged to you for allyour kindness to us."
"But that is so little!" said the colonel, deprecatingly.
They decided to leave their heavy baggage at the Hotel du Vesuve, andcarried only their suit-cases and light luggage aboard the littlesteamer that was bound across the bay for Sorrento. The decks werethronged with people as eager to get away from the stricken city as wereour friends, and Uncle John was only enabled to secure seats for hisgirls by bribing a steward so heavily that even that modern brigand wasamazed at his good fortune.
The ride was short but very interesting, for they passed under theshadow of the smoking mountain and came into a fresh, sweet atmospherethat was guiltless of a speck of the disagreeable lava dust that had solong annoyed them. The high bluffs of Sorrento, with their picturesquevillas and big hotels, seemed traced in burnished silver by the strongsunshine, and every member of Uncle John's party was glad that ColonelAngeli had suggested this pleasant change of condition.
Small boats took them ashore and an elevator carried them swiftly to thetop of the cliff and deposited them on the terrace of the Victoria, abeautiful inn that nestled in a garden brilliant with splendid flowersand shrubbery. Here they speedily established themselves, preparing toenjoy their first real experience of "Sunny Italy."