Part 17 (2/2)

”Stop your diabolical yells!” cried an angry voice ”Go home, and stay ho stopped short, as though thunderstruck, and looked around with staring eyes It was a youngher arely at her Evidently he was so like a gasp she see her clothes about her, slunk away through the crowd

Ludlow had often been at Sorrento before, and saw so the people These he accosted, and soon found out what the trouble was Although so like entle, and a, deplored

the excitement, and assured him that no harm had been done

Soon the crowd dispersed, and the landlord, who had been watching the scene in deep anxiety, caave Ludlow and David a er, exuberant, and enthusiastic welcome

CHAPTER XVI

_More Troubles for poor David--Onset of four Women--Seized by an old Crone and three Peasant Girls--Fresh Horror of David--A new Uproar in the Yard of the Inn--Uncle Moses bent double_

Ludlow began to talk to the landlord about a conveyance to Castellah the house into the yard

David's only desire noas to hurry on and join his friends as soon as possible He had not the remotest idea that they were in Sorrento, and that the trouble had arisen about them, but fancied that they were in Castella with their anxiety, he longed to go to thee in the yard, he naturally walked in that direction Reaching, the yard he noticed that the horses were in it, and that it was a barouche, like the one in which his party had been travelling Not for one moment did he suppose that it was the sa it a careless glance, he looked around to see those to whoed

As David went out into the yard, the driver had just gone into the barn to tell Uncle Moses and the boys that the trouble was over and the croas dispersing Their joyfrom the barn to return to the hotel, and had just reached the barn door when David approached

David alking along towards the barn, looking around to see where the people were, when suddenly he heard a wild cry, and saw a figure rush straight towards hiure, and she appeared quite old Like lightning, the thought flashed through hiasp he started back, and was about to run But the other was too quick for him, and David felt himself seized by his dreaded ene hiet free frolance at her face, which was but partly visible, beneath a very shabby bonnet, he saw that she was quite old, and that tears were streahtened David all the more, for noas sure that she was insane

But now, to David's horror, he found himself surrounded by three more women, in coarse dresses and horribly shabby bonnets They allhis hands and arled He was helpless A cold shudder passed through hiled every nerve

All this had been the work of an instant So sudden had been the onset, and so overwhelmed was David with utter horror, that he could not even screaot hisyell for help, when the words were taken out of his reater surprise created within him

”David! David! My boy! my boy!” moaned the first old woman

”Dave! You rascal! What do you mean by this?” cried woman Number Two

”Dave! Old boy! What in the world is theof this?” cried woman Number Three

”Dave! How did you find us?” cried woman Number Four

”Where have you been?” ”Where did you coo off?” ”Did they seize you?” ”Was it the old woman that did it?” These questions, and scores of others, ca forth into his astonished ears As for David, he could not utter one single word At length the yearning affection of Uncle Moses sees of the boys exhausted, and one by one they released their grasp, and allowed David to extricate himself

Thereupon David stood off at a little distance, and gazed at theht which they presented to his astonished eyes was one whichemotions in the breast of any beholder

There stood Uncle Moses, his figure concealed under a tattered gown, and his venerable head enfolded in a battered bonnet of pri peasant woman, with a bonnet that was stuck on the top of his head like alike a pretty peasant girl, quite Italian in his style, with a dress that was a trifle neater than the others

And there was Bob, an utter and unled about his legs, and a bonnet that had no crown The four of the else, and no sooner had David taken in the whole scene, than he burst forth into a perfect convulsion of laughter