the
world."

"It's the most beautiful and poetic," said Clive, who was given to
sentiment.

Walking on, they came to a place which projected into the sea, and
here they sat down.

"O, what a glorious sight!" exclaimed Clive. "Look at this wonderful
Bay of Naples! How intensely blue the water is! How intensely blue
the sky is! And look at Vesuvius opposite. What an immense amount
of smoke is coming from the crater!"

"Yes," said David, clearing his throat, "this is the place that
the elder Pliny sailed from at the time of the destruction of
Herculaneum and Pompeii. And look all around. That little town
was once the luxurious Baiae. Over yonder is Lake Lucrine, which
Virgil sings about. On that side is Misenum, where the Roman navy
lay. There is Caligula's Bridge. What a glorious place! Everything
that we have ever read of in classic story gathers about us here.
Cicero, Caesar, Horace, Virgil, Tiberius, and Juvenal, seem to live
here yet. Nero and Agrippina, Caligula and Claudius,--every old
Roman, good or bad. And look, Clive, that is land out there. As I
live, that is Capraea! And see,--O, see, Clive,--that must be
the--"

"_Datemi un carlino, signori, per l'amor di Dio. Sono povero--molto
povero!_"

It was in the middle of David's rather incoherent rhapsody that
these words burst upon his ears. He and Clive started to their
feet, and found close behind them a half dozen of those miserable
beggars. Two of them were old men, whose bleary eyes and stooping
frames indicated extreme age. One was a woman on, crutches. Number
Four was a thin, consumptive-looking man. Number Five and Number
Six were strong-limbed fellows, with very villanous faces. It was
with one universal whine that these unwelcome visitors addressed
the boys.

"_Datemi un carlino, signori, per l'amor di Dio._"

David shook his head.

"_Sono miserabile_," said Number Five.

"I don't understand," said David.

"_Noi abbiam fame_," said Number Six.

"_Non capisco_," said Clive, who had learned that much Italian from
Michael Angelo.

"_O, signori nobilissime!_"

"I tell you, I don't understand," cried David.

"Non capisco," repeated Clive.

"_Siamo desperati_," said Number Six, with a sinister gleam in his
eyes, which neither of the boys liked.

"Come, Clive," said David, "let's go back. Dinner must be ready by
this time."

And they turned to go.

But as they turned, Number Five and Number Six placed themselves
in the way.

"_Dat