"I do not know," said he, gravely. "Perhaps smoke from Vesuvius. At
Gibraltar we heard that the volcano is in an ugly mood, I hope it will
cause you no inconvenience."

"Wouldn't it be fine if we could see an eruption!" exclaimed the girl.

The captain shook his head.

"Interesting, perhaps," he admitted; "but no great calamity that causes
thousands of people to suffer can be called 'fine.'"

"Ah, that is true!" she said, quickly. "I had forgotten the suffering."

Next morning all the sky was thick with smoke, and the sun was hidden.
The waters turned gray, too, and as they approached the Italian coast
the gloom perceptibly increased. A feeling of uneasiness seemed to
pervade the ship, and even the captain had so many things to consider
that he had no time to converse with his little friend.

Signor Valdi forsook his deck chair for the first time and stood at the
rail which overlooked the steerage with his eyes glued to the grim skies
ahead. When Uncle John asked him what he saw he answered, eagerly:

"Death and destruction, and a loss of millions of lira to the bankrupt
government. I know; for I have studied Etna for years, and Vesuvio is a
second cousin to Etna."

"Hm," said Uncle John. "You seem pleased with the idea of an eruption."