Part 23 (2/2)

The front was by the road-side A door opened in the middle, on each side of which was a small, dismalIn the second story were two other small, dismal s At the end they la on each story, and a third in the attic These were all slass; others had sashes without glass; while others had no sashes at all

A group of men were outside the house, all of whoe as it drew near There was so in the aspect of these men which was indescribably repulsive to the boys: their dirty, swarthy faces, covered with shaggy, jet-black beards; their bushy eyebrows, frolowed like balls of fire; their hats slouched down over their brows; their lounging attitudes, and their furtive glances; all these coive them an evil aspect--a wicked, sinister, suspicious appearance, by which all the boys were equally i, however; and much as they disliked the look of the place and its surroundings, they saw that there was no help for it, and so they ht here as well as they could

Leaving the carriage, they waited a few moments to ask the driver about the prospects for the next day The driver had everything arranged Velletre was only five e, or go hi day

This reassured the to walk to Velletre, rather than pass the night here, yet Uncle Moses would not be able to do it, and so they had tothe house, they found the interior quite in keeping with the exterior The hall was narrow, and on either side were two dirty rooms, in which were some froo-room A rickety stairway led up to the second story Here they came to a room, which, they were inforile, and without any fastening The roo a table and three beds, with one small wash-stand Ts looked out in front, and at either end was one At the south end thehad no sash at all, but was open to the air

The aspect of the roo to be done So they sat down, and waited as patiently as they could for dinner Before it caht in, which flickered in the draughts of air, and scarcely lighted the roore repast There was some very thin soup, then a stew, then macaroni There were also bread and sour wine

However, the boys did not complain They had footed it so far, and had worked so hard, that they were all as hungry as hunters; and so the dinner gave as great satisfaction as if it had been far better While they were eating, an evil-faced, loed villain waited on the table; and as he placed down each dish in succession, he looked round upon the company with a scowl that would have taken away the appetites of any guests less hungry than these But these were too near starvation to be affected bytheir remarks for a future occasion

So the dinner passed

And after the dinner was over, and the dishes were removed, and they found themselves alone, they all looked round stealthily, and they all put their heads together, and then,--

”I don't like this,” said Frank

do said Clive

do said David

do said Bob

”I don't feel altogether comfortable here,” said Uncle Moses

”Did you notice that scowl?” said Bob

do said Clive

do said David

do said Frank

”He's the ugliest creetur I ever see,” said Uncle Moses ”I've been expectin somethin o' this sort”

The boys looked all around, for fear of being observed Frank got up and closed the rickety door Then he resuain

”This is a bad place,” said Frank

do said Clive

do said David

do said Bob