ee if there was any fire, and if there was, then
Mrs. Gray and Rosie were to go up.

Accordingly, about eight o'clock, Rollo and Josie went up. They very
soon came running down again, and reported that there was quite a bright
fire. So Mrs. Gray and Rosie went up. Taking their stations on the
platform, and looking towards the mountain, they could see distinctly a
bright glow playing over the summit, with brighter flashes beaming up
from time to time. The sight impressed them all with an emotion of
solemn awe.

CHAPTER V.

PLANNING THE ASCENSION.

Rollo was very impatient for the time to come for the ascent of
Vesuvius; but several days elapsed before Mr. George was ready. Then,
after that, for two or three days, the weather was not favorable. The
sky was filled with showery-looking clouds, and great caps of fog hung
over the summits of the mountains.

"If we get up there when there are mists and fogs hanging about the
mountain," said Mr. George, "we shall not be able to see the fire at
all."

"Then I would rather wait for a fair day," said Rollo.

Rollo repeatedly asked Rosie if she was not going up.

"I don't know," said Rosie; "it depends upon my mother. I shall not go
unless she goes, and she says she has not decided."

At last, after several days of uncertain weather, the wind came round to
the westward, the clouds passed off, and the whole sky became serene.
This was in the afternoon. Mr. George had been rambling with Rollo about
the town that day; but when he found that the weather promised now to be
good, he said he would go home and talk with Mrs. Gray about making the
ascent. So he and Rollo returned to the hotel, and went up together to
Mrs. Gray's room.

Mr. George told Mrs. Gray that the weather promised to be favorable the
next day for the ascent of the mountain.

"And Rollo and I," said he, "think of going up. If you would like to go,
we should be very happy to have you join our party."

"_Can_ I go, do you think?" asked Mrs. Gray.

"O, yes," said Mr. George; "you certainly can go, for you can be carried
up in a _portantina_ from the place where we leave the carriage. But if
you please, I will send for a commissioner, and he can tell us all about
it."

"Very well," said Mrs. Gray, "I should like to have you do that."

"Ring the bell, then, Rollo," said Mr. George.

So Rollo rang the bell; a servant man soon came in. He was what Rollo
called the chamberman. His business was to m