the repast Bob once more went outside, hoping now to have
the opportunity which he had missed before. The dirty children went
outside too. The two brigands followed, and occupied themselves
with various employments. Escape from such surroundings as these
was impossible. At length one of the brigands mounted the ass,
and rode away down the road by which he had come. This circumstance
seemed suspicious to Bob at first, but afterwards he thought that
perhaps he had gone to Salerno to get the ransom.

After this, darkness came on so suddenly that he was amazed. He
had already noticed that the twilight in Italy was very much less
than that to which he had been accustomed at home, but had never
been so impressed by it as now. There seemed but a minute Between
day and night It was quite bright, and then in a wonderfully short
time it became dark.

Upon this they all entered the house. Bob had to go with the rest.
The room was feebly illuminated by a small oil lamp. Bob noticed
that they fastened the door with a huge chain. The fastening of
that door was ominous to him, and the clanking of that chain smote
him to the heart, and echoed drearily within his soul. It seemed
to him now like real imprisonment, shut in here with chains and
bars, within this stone prison.

Soon they all prepared to retire; and the brigand who had first
met Bob beckoned to him, and taking the lamp, climbed the ladder
to the upper story. Bob followed him. The upper story was about
eighteen feet above the lower one. On reaching it, Bob saw that it
was all one apartment. There was no bed here, or bedding, or
furniture of any description whatever. Sheep-skins hung from the
rafters, and dried mutton, and some vegetables. In one corner was
a pile of straw. To this the brigand pointed, and Bob went over
there. He understood that he was to pass the night on this pile of
straw. Once more Bob looked all around as he stood there by the
straw. He saw the farther end of the room in dark shadows; he saw
the articles hanging from the rafters. He noticed, also, that
there were two windows, one in front and the other in the rear. In
these windows there were no sashes. They were open to the night
air. One glance sufficed to show him this.

The brigand now said something which Bob supposed to mean good
night, so he very civilly said the same in English. The brigand
grinned, and then descended the ladder, taking the lamp with him.

On his departure, Bob's first act