om
each of the visitors exorbitant tips in consideration of the little
lumps of sulphur and lava which they had given them from the crater. The
girls, who had supposed these to be presents, were most indignant.

"Five francs for a scrap of sulphur!"

"And we'd just called him such a kind man!"

"Let him keep his wretched souvenirs!"

"No, no! I want mine!"

"It's too bad!"

"I want my money to buy post-cards!"

"It's absolute blackmail!"

The guides, no longer smiling and obliging, but clamoring loudly for
extra money, were finally settled with by Miss Morley, who knew the
customs of the country, and was aware that they would be quite content
with less than half of what they had asked.

"It's always the way in Naples," she said philosophically, as she
thankfully bundled her flock into the funicular. "You can't get along
anywhere without tipping. The government may try its best to arrange
fixed prices, but every one who goes sightseeing must be prepared to
part with a good deal in the way of small change. The guides are not
such brigands as they used to be, thank goodness. Thirty or forty years
ago I suppose it was hopeless to come unless you brought a courier with
you from Naples to keep the others off. Well, you have your little
souvenirs of Vesuvius at any rate, even if they've turned out rather
expensive ones. They're something to keep, aren't they?"

"I wouldn't have given up mine if they'd asked me twenty dollars for
it," declared Peachy, fondling the nickel coin set in the lump of lava.

"I don't understand the Neapolitans," frowned Irene. "One minute they're
so charming and persuasive and winning and gay, and the next they're
absolute bandits."

"They're a mixed race, with a good deal of the Spaniard in them,"
explained Miss Morley. "We must make certain allowances for their
southern temperaments and customs. They're very poor, and they look upon
American and British tourists as made of money, and therefore fair game
to be fleeced. The best plan is to take them quite calmly, and never
lose your temper however excited they may get. When you've lived here
for a time you learn how to treat them."

By this time they had reached the bottom of the funicular, and were back
in the little station near the observatory. A picturesque woman, with a
yellow shawl round her shoulders, and long gold earrings in her ears,
came hurrying up to sell post-cards, and offered to show the party the
quickest way into the