"What did you say？"asked Patsy，eagerly."'All safe and well and enjoying the ?reworks.'""I'm glad you did that，"replied the girl，deeply grateful at this evidence of thoughtfulness."It's bad enough for the Major to have me away，without making him worry，into the bargaina.""Well，no one is likely to worry about me，"said Beth，philosophically.
"Mother seldom reads the papers，except to get the society news，"remarked Louise."I doubt if she'll hear of the eruption，unless the Major happens to tell her.""I've cabled them all，"said Uncle John."They're entitled to know that their kidiwinklesb are in good shape."The evening was a tedious one，although they triedto enliven it with a game of bridge，in which Uncle John and Louise were quite proficient and the others dreadfully incompetent.Once in a while the volcano thundered a deep detonation that caused the windows to shiver，but the Americans were getting used to the sound and paid little heed to it.
In the morning the wind had shifted，and although the airwas still full of dust all near—by objects were clearly visible and even the outline of Vesuvius could be seen sending skyward its pillar of black smoke.
Colonel Angeli appeared soon after breakfast，his uniformfresh and bright and his boyish face beaming as pleasantly as ever.
"Vesuvio is better，"said he，"but the rascal has badly acted and done much harm to our poor people.Like Herculaneum，our Boscatrecase is covered with lava；like Pompeii our Ottajano is buried in ashes.Let me advise you.To—day go to Sorrento，and there stay for a time，until we can the dust brush from our streets and prepare to welcome you with the comfort more serene.I must myself ride to the villages thatare suffering.My men are already gone，with the Red—Crosscorps，to succora whom they can.I will send to you word when you may return.Just now，should you stay，you will be able to see nothing at all.""I believe that is wise counsel，"replied Uncle John.
"Sorrento has no ashes，"continued the Colonel，"and from there you may watch the volcano better than from Naples.To—day come the Duke and Duchess d'Aosta to render assistance to the homeless and hungry；to—morrow His Majesty the King will be here to discover what damage has been caused.Alas！We have no sackcloth，but we are in ashes.I trust you will pardon my poor Naples for her present inhospitality.""Sure thing，"said Uncle John."The city may be under acloud，but her people are the right stuff，and we are greatly obliged to you for all your kindness to us.""But that is so little！"said the colonel，deprecatingly.
They decided to leave their heavy baggage at the Hotel du Vesuve，and carried only their suit—cases and light luggageaboard the little steamer that was bound across the bay for Sorrento.The decks were thronged witha people as eager to get away from the stricken city as were our friends，and Uncle John was only enabled to secure seats for his girls by bribing a steward so heavily that even that modern brigand was amazedat his good fortune.
The ride was short but very interesting，for they passed under the shadow of the smoking mountain and came into a fresh，sweet atmosphere that was guiltless of a speck of the disagreeable lava dust that had so long annoyed them.The high bluffsb of Sorrento，with their picturesquec villas and big hotels，seemed traced in burnished silver by the strong sunshine，and every member of Uncle John's party was glad that Colonel Angeli had suggested this pleasant change of condition.
Small boats took them ashore and an elevator carried them swiftly to the top of the cliff and deposited them on the terrace of the Victoria，a beautiful inn that nestled in a garden brilliant with splendid flowers and shrubbery.Here they speedily established themselves，preparing to enjoy their first real experience of "Sunny Italy."
