Among the Brigands

t Boy.-A new Turn to Affairs.-Explanations.-On to Salerno.-Inquir

for some time without making any remarks, each one looking eagerly forward to see if Bob might reappear; but he had vanished behind a turn in the road, and as they advanced, there were other turns to be encountered, and so they were unable to see him. This began to create un

ingle rider. They recognized Bob at once. He was more than a mile away; but the sight of him filled them all with joy, and they at once stimulated their donkeys to greater exertions. In spite of the distance that interven

de-roads suggested a fear, that Bob's ass might have turned off into some one of them; but of course, as they were all alike, they could not conjecture which one would have been taken by the runaway. As they rode on, they still looked ahead. At every turn in the road they still expected to see the fugitive; and it was not until the donkeys thems

to consider the probabi

happened," said Clive. "

ng ago. But the idea of Bob being thrown from any animal that ever lived

nd observant boy,-"it seems to me that the donkey may hav

ort? A runaway animal don't generally indulge in freaks of that kind. He generally g

tains," said David, "and, in that ca

t requires some thought for an ordinary donkey to

-road leads

" objected Frank, "when we found

are say they were going home at t

ut it," said Clive. "He could te

unfortunately, we could

heaved

ian before I came! But from this time forth, I'm det

f brigands. They had met poor Bob; they had seized him, and had carried him off to their lurking-places in the mountains. Even now he was in capt

ob might have been carried by his donkey to the mountains; and, if so, his capture by brigands would be almost certain.

ne off vowing vengeance. He had gone to the mountains, and returned with a band o

his Fran

keep running till he drops. There's a long, straight, smooth road before him, and he'll stick to that without bothering his head about by-roads or mountains. And if he's obstinate

id Clive, "but think how cert

rging from behind a torn in the road, they saw two horses galloping at full speed, and drawing a carriage. The driver was whipping the horse

and jumped to the ground. Then, coming to the boys, he burst forth into a strain of the most profuse and vehement apologi

es. But during his sleep they had both wandered off, and could not be found until after a long search. When at length he was ready, and had driven back, he found to his horror that they were not there. Thinking that they were still among the ruins, he had gone over the whole place, which took up still more time. At last he saw that they must have left. He at once drove

on his part, had now forgotten all about his sulks, and was the same genial and companionable soul as before. On learning about Bob's mishap, he at once assured them that the donkey must ha

mile was

were no si

s happened,

ed to the mounta

gands!" groan

fidently. "That donkey's a regular r

hed Salerno. They d

gns o

the landlord, and all others who heard of it, asserted that he must have been carried to the mountains. It was now dark. Nothing mor