Among the Brigands

r.-Kicks! Thumps!-Smash of Chain!-Crash of Tables!-A general Row!-The Cry for Help!-The Voice of David!-T

es. This offer met with an eager response from the boys, and a willing assent from their parents, who fully believed that a tour of this description would be of immense benefit to them. This brief explanation will serve to account for the appearance of Uncle Moses in Naples, where he landed on a mellow

ded when they found themselves surrounded by the lazzar

ella Europa!" "Hotel dell' Inghelterra!" "Hotel dell' America!" "Eccelenza, you wanta good, naisy, rosbif, you com

icked up for the purpose of making themselves agreeable to foreigners. They surrounded Uncle Moses and his four boys in a dense crowd-grinning, chattering,

man; bearded, dirty, noisy; yet fat and good-natured withal; the laz

m. "Rinaldo Rinaldini," a charming brigand book, which had been the delight of his childhood, now stood out clear in his recollection. The lazzaroni seemed to be a crowd of bandits, filled with but one purpose, and that was to seize the luggage. The efforts o

, Don't let these varmints get the trun

, and the two Wilmot boys on a trunk on the other; and mounting himsel

the lazzaroni with a burst

-r-r-r-r-

t one of them understood a word of any language spoken among men except their own. So they said nothing; but constitutin

g the garrison with broken English, broken French, and br

h they all became aware of the fact that they were excessively hungry.

and after mounting the trunks, and gathering the boys about him, he quickly rallied from his confu

a way

ir offers of assistance. Beyond these were people passing up and down the wharf, all of whom were foreigners, and therefor

ng like a cab. In vain. They all seemed to him to be "one

ld on to the trunks. I'll go an hunt up one of them one-hoss shays. There ain

Uncle Moses, and the boy

king set of boy

n years of age, tall, stout, with fi

fourteen, tall and slight, w

's age, rather pale, with serious

b Clark-an odd-looking boy, with a bullet head, pug n

uring a vehicle of that kind which is universal in this city, and he now reappeared to t

thing for any quantity of people to pile themselves. There is a seat for two, which is generally occupied by the most, worthy, perhaps; but all around them cluster others,-behind them, before t

nderneath. David and Clive sat behind, Frank and Uncle Moses on the seat, while Bob sat on the trunk in front, with the driver. T

them to a hotel in the Strada Toledo, where he left them, after having been paid by Uncle Moses the largest fare

with a spacious court-yard. Around this court-yard ran galleries, opening into each story, and

om, of which Uncle Moses took possession; on the right side was another, which was appropriated by David and C

ed off, and made themse

ent to bed early. Unc

, for they were v

emendous uproar in the parlor-kicks, thumps, tables upsetting, chairs breaking, and a general row going on

inly enough to

nk, and rushe

b, and spran

outrageous. What was i

er to do their work in

was as yet quite dark, and the room into which he peered was wrapped in the shades

crash to the floor. Sometimes the figure seemed to be on the table, at other times it was leaping in the air. Suddenly, as he look

it?" as

aid Frank, "unles

shall

might make a rush at him, and secure him. I

, like the minds of the rest of the party, was

ut at any rate let's make a

rse," s

ly opened the door ag

for the time. Bob pok

eagerly in

Frank tou

hispered, "b

lo

ugh there was no form visible to which these glaring, fiery eyes might belong. And the eyes seemed to glare out of the darkness directly at t

voice was heard f

nk!

cried b

do? Can't you

ed Frank. "Bob,

any matches

"Can't you wake Uncle Moses

respond, but there came a response from another quarter. It was from the thing in the parlor. Once more the fearful uproar began.

losed t

"I should know what to do. But w

s the matter wi

uld sleep thr

s a brigand, afte

still think it

ke those gl

chance, and could see,

what is behind th

king-the rattle, the bang, the smash, th

nk, coolly, "how much longer this

ow grown much lighter, for in these southern countries twilight, whether in the morning or the evening, is but of shor

e of the mystery, had behaved very well; and he began to arrange a plan of action. His ar

said he, "yo

," said Bo

ight for them to see every object in the room. A scene of wild disorder revealed itself. All the furniture was turned topsy-turvy. The

ok was

caped both

miserable billy g

them sprang forward and se

he attack. So he showed fight, and resisted desperately. Frank and Bob, however, clung most tenaciously to the horns which the

they were interrupted

e Mo

appearance in a long night-gown, which reached to his heels, and we

. "What's this, boys? Why, whatever

ive made their appearance, and each seized one of the goat's hind legs. This additional help deci

very brown, very bearded, very dirty, and very unsavory. For some time he stood without saying one word, staring into the room, and fixing his eyes

ssima

grasp relax, made a mighty effort, and rolled over. Then he leaped to his feet. Then he made a wild bound to the door, over the prostrate forms of David and Clive. The big, burly, brown, bearded, dirty, and unsav