eat, most noble Captain?"

The Captain turned away.

Meanwhile Figgs had told the story of his capture. After resting
for a while on the slope he prepared to descend, but seeing sand
further away he went over toward it and descended there. Finding it
very dangerous or difficult to go down straight he made the
descent obliquely, so that when he reached the foot of the cone
he was far away from the point at which he had started to make
the ascent. Arriving there, he sat down to rest after his exertions.
Some men came toward him, but he did not think much about it.
Suddenly, before he knew what was up, he found himself a prisoner.
He had a weary march, and was just getting comfortable as they
came in.

[Illustration: Mr Figgs.]

As they sat round the fire they found it very comfortable. Like
many evenings in Italy, it was damp and quite chilly. They laughed
and talked, and appeared to be any thing but captives in a
robber's hold. The Captain had been out for some time, and at
length returned. He was now very cheerful. He came laughingly up
to the fire.

"Well, Signori Americani, what do you think of your
accommodation?"

"Delightful! Charming!" cried Buttons and Dick.

"If the ladies would only deign to smile on us--"

"Aha! You are a great man for the ladies," said the Captain.

"Who is not?" said Buttons, sententiously.

After a few pleasant words the Captain left again.

"He has some scheme in his villainous head," said Buttons.

"To drug us," said the Doctor.

"To send for others," said Dick.

"To wait till we sleep, and then fall on us," said Mr. Figgs.

"Well, gentlemen," said the Senator, drawing himself up, "we're
more than a match for them. Why, what are these brigands? Is there
a man of them who isn't a poor, miserable, cowardly cuss? Not one.
If we are captured by such as these we deserve to be captives all
our lives."

[Illustration: The Ladies.]

"If we don't get off soon we'll have a good round sum to pay," said
Mr. Figgs.

"And that I object to," said Buttons; "for I promised my Governor
solemnly that I wouldn't spend more than a certain sum in Europe,
and I won't."

"For my part," said the Doctor, "I can't afford it."

"And I would rather use the amount which they would ask in some
other way," said Dick.

"That's it, boys! You're plucky. Go in! We'll fix their flints. The
American eagle is soaring, gentlemen--let him ascend to the zenith.
Go it! But mind now--don't be