Part 32 (2/2)

David made no reply

Clive arose, and walked over to hi desperate I've a great o down the ladder as quietly as possible, and then run for it”

”No, don't--don't,” cried David, earnestly

”Well, I' to stay here and starve to death,” said Clive

”Pooh! don't be impatient,” said David ”Of course they'll hunt us up, and rescue us Only wait a little longer”

”Well, I don't know If they don't come soon, I'll certainly venture down”

After an hour or so, during which no help came, Clive did as he said, and, in spite of David's remonstrances, ventured down He went about half way Then there was a noise of so peculiar a character that he suddenly retreated up again, and re hi him to come back,--

”Well, Dave, perhaps I'd better wait They ought to be here before long”

So the two prisoners waited

CHAPTER XXVI

_Despair of Uncle Moses--Frank and Bob endeavor to offer Consolation--The Search--The Discovery at the Convent--The Guide--The old House--The Captives--The Alarht of Uncle Moses and his Party--Albans! to the Rescue!--The Delivering Host!_

On leaving the convent, Frank and Bob had hurried back to Albano, where they found dinner ready, and Uncle Moses waiting for them in anxious impatience This anxious impatience was not by anyback to him, nor was it alleviated one hen they inforone to see soe, of the nature or location of which they had but the vaguest possible conception

His first i them back with him by main force; and it was only with extreme difficulty that Frank and Bob dissuaded him from this

”Why, they're perfectly safe--as safe as if they were here,” said Frank ”It isn't possible for anything at all to happen to theuide--a monk--is with them, and a very fine fellow he is, too He knows all about the country”

”O, yes; but these monks ain't to my taste I don't like 'em,”

said Uncle Moses

”It'll take theet back here froo there, for you don't know the way; and if you did go, why, they one, and then we'd have to wait for you So, you see, the best thing to do, Uncle Moses, is for us all to set quietly down, get our dinner, and wait for thehts which Uncle Moses had already been called on to experience about his precious but too troublesoroundless; and the result had invariably been a happy one; yet this did not at all prevent Uncle Moses fro as anxious, as worried, and as unsettled, on this occasion, as he had ever been before He sat down to the table, therefore, because Frank urged it, and he hardly kne toHe was silenced, but not convinced

He ate nothing He merely dallied with his knife and fork, and played listlessly with the viands upon his plate Frank and Bob were both as hungry as hunters, and for some time had no eyes but for their food At last, however, they saw that Uncle Moses was eating nothing; whereupon they began to remonstrate with hi In vain

Uncle Moses was beyond the reach of persuasion His appetite was gone with his wandering boys, and would not come back until they should corew more restless than ever He walked out, and paced the street up and down, every little while co anxiously in to see if the wanderers had returned Frank and Bob felt sorry that he should feel so much unnecessary anxiety, but they did not knohat to do, or to say They had done and said all that they possibly could Uncle Moses refused to be co th the hour passed which Frank had allotted as the time of their absence, and still they did not come Uncle Moses now ca frame He said not a word The situation was one which, to his mind, rendered words useless

”O, coht What's the use of i all sorts of nonsense? Suppose they are delayed a fewback in exactly an hour The guide said, 'about an hour' You'll have to er, and succeeded in controlling himself for about half an hour more Then he found inaction intolerable, and insisted on Frank and Bob accoested the necessity of going to the convent first, and getting another guide He left word at the hotel where they had gone, and why, so that David and Clive ht follow them, or send word; and then they all three set forth for the convent

On reaching the place, the first uide hiht even Frank was amazed, and a little disturbed He asked him hurriedly where the boys were