tudents.

[Illustration: COMING DOWN.]

"I have but little doubt that she will," said Mr. George.

Accordingly, after rambling about on the margin of the crater a little
time longer, and gathering all the specimens which they required, Mr.
George and the children commenced their descent. One of the students
went down with them, in order to accompany Mr. George back. The descent
was very easy, for the path led down a slope, where, instead of being
rocky as it was where they came up, there was little else but loose
sand, so that at every step they took they slid down a great way, and
thus went, very fast and very easily, from the top to the bottom.

When they reached the foot of the slope, they found the mules and
donkeys there. Rollo and Josie insisted that Mr. George and the student
should ride, because they had got to ascend the cone again.

"Besides," said Rollo, "if you ride you can get there quicker, and
arrange the business with Mrs. Gray."

Mr. George was right in anticipating that Mrs. Gray would give her
cordial consent to have him leave the party.

"I shall miss your company," said she, "but I feel perfectly safe in
going home in the carriage with Philippe and the boys. Besides, I shall
want to hear an account of your adventures on the mountain in the
night, and in crossing over by the ravines to-morrow. And then if you
are willing," she added, "we will all come and meet you at Pompeii
to-morrow."

"I should like that very much indeed," said Mr. George. "Philippe will
arrange every thing for you."

This being all settled, Mrs. Gray and the children entered the carriage
and set out for Naples, while Mr. George and the student turned their
faces towards the mountain again.

CHAPTER VIII.

POMPEII.

On the evening of the day on which the excursion to Vesuvius was made,
Rollo came into Mrs. Gray's room, wearing a somewhat disturbed
countenance. He told Mrs. Gray that he had got some bad news for her.

"Ah," said Mrs. Gray, "I'm sorry to hear that. What is the bad news?"

"Philippe is engaged for to-morrow," said Rollo, "and so he cannot go
with us to Pompeii."

"O, how sorry I am!" said Josie. "What shall we do?"

"How is he engaged?" asked Mrs. Gray.

"He is going with a party to Baiae."

"Where is Baiae?" asked Josie. "Is it any where near Pompeii?"

"No," said Rollo; "it is exactly in the opposite direction. It is on the
sea coast to the west, and Pompeii is on the sea coast to th