Part 18 (2/2)

As yet, in spite of these appearances, the ascent h every day lessened the chances of an ascent by increasing the danger This they learned froed to o without any farther delay Accordingly, two days after their excursion to Baiae, they set out, going first to Portici, where they hired ponies to take theood stout stick to assist his ascent, and Michael Angelo ith the, up they found the road good at first, but soon it becah It left the fertile meadows and vineyards at the base of the mountain, and ran over a wild, rocky country, which looked, as Uncle Moses said, like the ”abomination of desolation” No verdure appeared, no houses, no flocks, and herds--all ild, and savage, and dis over these lava fields, the party reached what is called the ”Here”

--a kind of refresh here, for a little way they proceeded on foot The path was now rugged and difficult, and ascended at so steep an angle that it beca After a toilsome walk this path ended at the foot of the cone

Here the randly before the from where they stood to where the vieas lost in smoke At one part there was a surface of loose sand, and at another wild, disordered heaps of cruelo led the-stones by which to make the ascent A number of men were here with chairs and straps, who offered them assistance; but they all declined, even Uncle Moses choosing to rely on his unassisted an the ascent of the cone The lava blocks were of all sizes, and lay strewn loosely down the steep side It was like ascending a long, rough stairhere all the steps are irregular

It was laborious and tedious Often they had to stop and rest

Uncle Moses felt it most, and the boys had frequently to stop rather on his account But when they had traversed about two thirds of the way, they began to grow more excited, and in Bob this excite that the others would take sufficient care of Uncle Moses, he started off alone, and soon was far up, cla chamois

Usually there is one side of the crater which is accessible There is almost always some hich blows the smoke away, and on the ard side the visitor can stand and breathe freely On the present occasion, however, there was little or no wind; and the sathered in thick, black folds, and sometimes rolled down the sides of the cone, and hid the crest froelo expressed a fear that they would not be able to reach the crest; and as they drew nearer, every step showed that this fear ell founded At last, when they ithin easy distance of it, there ca down a cloud of smoke, so dense and so full of sulphurous vapor that they all had to stop and cover their faces with their clothes

It was now evident that they could go no farther They waited for a tireat distress from the smoke It rolled away at last, yet still hovered near theh to drive them back, and prevent the crater from desecration by human footsteps They had evidently reached their farthest lio no farther

But where was Bob?

Scarcely had they discovered the iht came to them Where was Bob? He had left theone far ahead of them They had expected every ns of hith David and Clive joined in the cry

There was no response

Fear ca, awful fear All shouted--the boys, Uncle Moses, and Michael Angelo

Still there was no response

Again, and again, and yet again, they called, by this tiony of apprehension; but to all these cries the surrounding stillness gave forth not one answering sound

And the deep, dark, wrathful s close to theer to involve them in that dread fate which they feared had overwheler!” cried Frank, at last ”I'll go and hunt hio,” said David

”Wait,” said Uncle Moses, as the boys were starting ”We must hunt him up as we do in the woods We can't tell where he is Let's foret, an yet far enough away to cover the ground In that ell be more likely to find him”

At this the party formed themselves in a line, so that about twenty or thirty feet intervened between each The five thus extended for a long distance Michael Angelo was at the extreht, next to him was Uncle Moses, then Clive, then David, while Frank was on the extreo as far forward as the sh; but the situation of Bob nerved theed by the fact that the s the surface to the very crest of the crater So they advanced, clah blocks, and drew nearer and nearer to the su down It touched them It enveloped them It folded itself over them and under the, and covered his mouth and nostrils with his handkerchief, so as to keep out the sulphurous vapors It was al was difficult and painful, and it seeated But at last the smoke withdrew itself, and the whole party stood up, and looked around painfully for one another, panting heavily, and drawing laborious breaths

”You can't go any further,” said Uncle Moses ”I ain't goin to let you resk your lives, boys You o for'ard”

”No, uncle; I'll go,” cried Frank

”And I,” cried David

”And I,” cried Clive

”None of you shall go,” said Uncle Moses, firo back” Uncle Moses was deeply agitated, and spoke with unaccustomed sternness ”Go back,” he said; ”I'll find Bob, or leave myself there Go back D'ye hear?”

He darted forward, and turned to wave his hand at the boys But Frank had already sprung upward, swiftly and eagerly Onward he went, going first to the left and then to the right David and Clive also rushed forward Uncle Moses toiled after theelo followed slowly, looking on with a face of fearful apprehension