horribly frightened.

"Shall we have to stay here all night?"

"I'd be scared to death."

"Think of the spooks!"

"Why the whole place must be simply _chock-full_ of ghosts after
sunset."

"Couldn't we jump from the wall?"

"I wish I'd never come. Oh, I hate things B.C.! I shall have fits in a
minute."

Fortunately for Delia's nerves they were not kept long in durance vile.
Lorna very soon discovered the loss of her buddy, drew Miss Morley's
attention to the matter, and the whole party hastened back to look for
them. The custodian was fetched from his wooden shelter and unlocked the
door, loudly disclaiming any responsibility on his part, and blaming the
guide.

"It's your own fault," scolded Miss Morley. "You really _must_ keep with
the party. I can't have any of you wandering off alone. You can't expect
me to count you every time we come out of a building. I put you on your
parole not to get separated again."

"We won't indeed, _indeed_! We don't like being lost," promised the
delinquents earnestly.

Everybody, including the Principal, was very tired by this time, and not
altogether sorry when the guide finished his tour of the ruins, and
conducted them safely back again to the entrance.

"It's glorious, but you want days to see it in, instead of only a few
hours," sighed Phyllis.

"And cast-iron backs and legs," agreed Sybil. "I shall enjoy thinking it
over when I'm home, but I'm ready to drop at the present moment."

"What about my camera?" asked Irene anxiously.

The guide had not forgotten it; he produced it from his pocket,
and--perhaps in consideration of the tip he had received from Miss
Morley--he did not confiscate the spool, but handed it over intact with
a polite gesture and a cryptic smile.

"Grazie molto--_molto_!" murmured Irene, which meant "Thanks awfully,"
and was one of the very few Italian phrases which she knew.

Everybody was extremely glad to adjourn to the restaurant, where tea had
been ordered for their party, and a table reserved for them. The big
room was full of visitors and rather noisy; a band of musicians in the
center rendered Neapolitan songs to an accompaniment of mandolins and
guitars, and occasionally the audience joined the choruses. The
performance was not of the highest quality, but it was tuneful and
interesting to those who had not before heard the folk-songs of Southern
Italy. After tea the girls made a rush to buy post-cards and other
mementoes of Pompei