hrough the
lower room; so little, indeed, that the wild boar did not feel any
inconvenience in particular.

"Can't you do something?" asked Clive, imploringly.

"We can't stand this much longer," said David, despairingly, with
streaming eyes, and choking voice.

Their words sounded faint and low amidst the yelling of the crowd
behind the house, who still maintained their stations there, from
preference, and kept up their terrific outcry. Amid the yells
there came occasional anxious inquiries as to the success of
their efforts. At times messengers would venture from the rear
to the front to reconnoitre. These messengers, however, were
only few in number, and their reconnoitring was of the most
superficial description possible.

The latest experiment of the guide was the cause of more frequent
and more urgent inquiries. So many handkerchiefs had been invested
in this last venture, that it was brought nearer home than before.
Each man felt that he was concerned personally in the affair;
that, in fact, he, in the shape of a representative of so important
a kind as his own handkerchief, was already inside, and assailing
the obstinate monster with a more terrible arm than any which had
yet been employed--smoke and fire.

But the clamor of the crowd had not so much effect on the little
band in front, as the sight of poor Clive and David, who, clinging
to the window with their faces flushed, and their eyes red, swollen,
and streaming with tears, appeared unable to hold out much longer.

"Do something or other, quick," cried Clive.

"I'll have to jump down," said David.

And both, of them tried to push themselves farther out, while their
faces were turned down, and they seemed anxiously measuring with
their eyes the distance between themselves and the ground.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

_The Salamander inaccessible to Fire.--The last Appeal.--Frank
takes Action.--He fires.--Casualty to Frank and Bob.--Onset of the
Monster.--Flight.--Tremendous Sensation.--The Guide's Story.--Another
Legend of Albano.--On to Rome._

For some time Frank had felt an intolerable impatience, and had
been deliberating in his own mind about the best way of ending a
scene which was not only painful to the poor prisoners, but
humiliating to himself. In spite, however, of the immense odds in
favor of the attacking party, Frank could not think of any way of
making those odds available under present circumstances, when the
last plaintive appea