ow, we are high up in the
mountains, and when it is scorching in the plains, and the grass withers
for want of water, and down near the sea people die of fever and
sunstroke, up here it is cool and pleasant, and the flowers are
blossoming, and the people gather in their fruit and tend their bees."

"And in the winter, Yussuf?" said the professor, who had been listening
to the conversation.

"Ah, yes, in the winter, effendi, it is cold. There is the snow, and
the wolves and the bears come down from the mountains. It is a bad time
then. But what will you?--is it always summer and sunshine everywhere?
Ah! look, effendi Lawrence," he cried, pointing across the narrow gorge,
"you can see from here."

"See what?" cried Lawrence. "I can only see some holes."

"Yes; those are the caves where the people here keep their bees. The
hives are in yonder."

"What, in those caves?"

"Yes; the people are great keepers of bees, for they thrive well, and
there is abundance of blossom for the making of honey."

"But why do they put the hives in yonder?"

"In the caves? Because they are out of the sun, which would make the
honey pour down and run out in the hot summer time, and in the winter
the caverns are not so cold. It does not freeze hard there, and the
hives are away out of the snow, which lies so heavy here in the
mountains. It is very beautiful up here, and in the spring among the
trees there is no such place anywhere in the country for nightingales;
they till the whole valley with their song. Now, effendi, look before
you."

They had reached a turn in the valley, where once more a grand view of
the mountain chain spread before them, far as eye could reach, purple
mountains, and beyond them mountains that seemed to be of silver, where
the snow-capped their summits.

But among them were several whose regular form took the professor's
attention directly, and he pointed them out.

"Old volcanoes," he said quietly.

"Where?" cried Lawrence. "I want above all things to see a burning
mountain."

"You can see mountains that once burned," said the professor; "but there
are none here burning now."

"How disappointing!" cried Lawrence. "I should like to see one burn."

"Then we must go and see Vesuvius," cried Mr Burne decisively. "He
shall not be disappointed."

"I think the young effendi may perhaps see one burning a little here,"
said Yussuf quietly. "There are times when a curious light is seen
floating