her place, which was covered with loose sliding sand. Away they
started.

Buttons ahead, went with immense strides down the slope. At every
step the sliding sand carried him about ten feet further, so that
each step was equal to about twenty feet. It was like flying. But it
was attended by so many falls that the descent of Buttons and Dick
was accomplished as much by sliding and rolling as by walking.

The Senator was more cautious. Having fallen once or twice, he tried
to correct this tendency by walking backward. Whenever he found
himself falling he would let himself go, and thus, on his hands and
knees, would let himself slide for a considerable distance. This plan
gave him immense satisfaction.

"It's quite like coasting," said he, after he had reached the bottom;
"only it does come a little hard on the trowsers."

On their arrival at the Hermitage to their surprise they saw nothing
of Mr. Figgs. The Doctor had been sleeping all the time, but the
landlord said he had not been that way. As they knew that the
neighborhood of Vesuvius was not always the safest in the world, they
all went back at once to search after him.

[Illustration: Where's Figgs?]

Arriving at the foot of the cone they went everywhere shouting his
name. There was no response. They skirted the base of the cone. They
walked up to where he had been. They saw nothing. The guides who had
thus far been with them now said they had to go. So they received
their pay and departed.

"Of all the mean, useless, chicken-hearted dolts that ever I see,"
said the Senator, "they are the wust!"

But meanwhile there was no Figgs. They began to feel anxious. At last
Buttons, who had been up to where Mr. Figgs was left, thought he saw
traces of footsteps in the sand that was nearest. He followed these
for some time, and at last shouted to the others. The others went to
where he was. They saw an Italian with him--an ill-looking, low-browed
rascal, with villain stamped on every feature.

"This fellow says he saw a man who answers the description of Figgs go
over in that direction," said Buttons, pointing toward the part of the
mountain which is furthest from the sea.

"There? What for?"

"I don't know."

"Is there any danger?"

"I think so--Figgs may have had to go--who knows?"

"Well," said the Senator, "we must go after him."

"What arms have you?" said the Doctor. "Don't show it before this
rascal."

"I have a bowie-knife," said Buttons.

"