Part 47 (1/2)

”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 up high among the mountains. The peasants call it a spirit light, but it must be the sulphurous glare rising from one of the old cones, above some of which I have seen smoke hanging at times.”

”Why, Yussuf, you are quite a professor yourself, with your cones, and sulphurous, and arguments,” cried Mr Burne.

”A man cannot be wandering all his life among nature's wonders, effendi, and showing English, and French, and German men of wisdom the way, without learning something. But I will watch each night and see if I can make out the light over the mountains.”

”Do, Yussuf,” cried the professor eagerly.

Yussuf bowed.

”I will, excellency, but it is not often seen--only now and then.”

They began to descend the side of the defile, and before long came upon a fine grove of ancient planes, upon some of whose leafless limbs tall long-necked storks were standing, placidly gazing down at them unmoved; and it was not until the party were close by that they spread their wings, gave a kind of bound, and floated off, the protection accorded to them making them fearless in the extreme.

”Stop!” cried the professor suddenly, and the little party came to a stand by a rough craggy portion of the way where many stones lay bare.

”Well, what is it?” cried Mr Burne impatiently, ”I'm sure those are natural or live stones, as you call them.”

”Yes,” said the professor; ”it was not the stones which attracted me, but the spring.”

”Well, we have pa.s.sed hundreds of better springs than that, and besides it is bad water; see, my horse will not touch it.”

”I thought I was right,” cried the professor dismounting. ”Look here, Lawrence, that decides it; here is our first hot spring.”

”Hot?” cried Lawrence, leaping off and bending over the spring. ”Why, so it is.”

”Yes, a pretty good heat. This is interesting.”

”It is a volcanic country, then,” said Lawrence eagerly. ”Oh, Mr Preston, we must see a burning mountain.”

”It does not follow that there are burning mountains now,” said the professor smiling, ”because we find hot springs.”

”Doesn't it?” said Lawrence in a disappointed tone.

”Certainly not. You would be puzzled to find a volcano in England, and yet you have hot springs in Bath.”

”Effendi, be on your guard. I do not like the look of these people,”

said Yussuf quickly, for a party of mounted men, all well-armed, was seen coming from the opposite direction; but they pa.s.sed on scowling, and examining the little group by the hot spring suspiciously.

”A false alarm, Yussuf,” said the professor smiling.

”No, effendi,” he replied; ”these are evil men. Let us get on and not stop at this village, but make our way to the next by another track which I know, so as to reach the old ruined city, and they may not follow. If they do, I think they will not suspect the way we have gone.”

There seemed to be reasons for Yussuf's suspicions, the men having a peculiarly evil aspect. A perfectly honest man sometimes belies his looks, but when a dozen or so of individuals mounted upon shabby Turkish ponies, all well-armed, and wearing an eager sinister look upon their countenances, are seen together, if they are suspected of being a dishonest lot, there is every excuse for those who suspect them.

”'Pon my word, Preston,” said Mr Burne, ”I think we had better get off as soon as possible.”