if he tried to explain himself. One day his mother, having
run short of methylated spirit, for her teakettle, sent him with a
bottle to buy some more. He looked the words up in a dictionary, entered
a chemist's, and demanded "alcohol for burning" in his best Italian. The
assistant seemed mystified, but suddenly a light flooded his intelligent
face, he flew to a series of neat little drawers behind the counter,
rummaged about, and in much triumph produced an "Alcock's porous
plaster," which he vehemently assured Vincent would be sure to burn, and
was a real English medicine, imported with great trouble and expense,
and certain to cure the ailment from which he was suffering. How Vincent
would have got out of the tangle, or convinced the chemist's assistant
that he was not in need of medical aid, is uncertain, but at that moment
Irene, who was walking with Lorna in the square, spied him through the
window, and brought her chum to the rescue. Lorna's Italian was
excellent; she soon unravelled the matter, returned the porous plaster
to the disappointed assistant, and explained to Vincent that the local
name for methylated spirit was "spirito," and that it was generally
procured from an oil colorman's.

"How was I to know?" grumbled Vincent dramatically. "A fellow goes by
the dictionary."

"It's always called 'alcohol' in Rome, and in some other places,"
pacified Lorna, who was still laughing at the mistake, "and I've bought
it at a chemist's myself in Naples. Come along round the corner and
we'll find the right shop. I had my own bottle filled there yesterday,
so I know where to go."

On the Friday, Mrs. Cameron, who by universal consent had constituted
herself organizer of the various joint expeditions, sent out invitations
for a grand gathering of the Clan to go and view the ruins of the villa
of Tiberius. This was one of the principal sights of the island, and, as
the Preston party were not staying over the following week, it would
have seemed a pity for them to miss it.

"It's a case of taking nose-bags and going for the day," said Stewart,
delivering his messages at the various villas. "Meeting-place, the
piazza in the town. Those who like to come up by the funicular can do
so. We'll wait for them. I think the Mater will take the train and save
herself some of the climb. She doesn't like these endless steps, and
it's certainly a pull from our place to the town. It's worth while
walking down to the Marina to get th