1906年4月7日这一天会载入史册，因为维苏威火山喷发了。船长把船停到了一个安全的港湾。人们都躲进了船舱中。火山时不时发出的爆炸声响彻空中，喷出的火柱直冲云霄，猖狂的喷发过后，山侧涌出的岩浆沿坡而下，一路吞噬了树木、葡萄园和民居。约翰叔叔紧紧地护着他的侄女，他们的欧洲之行是否就这样充满了艰难险阻呢？
"After all，"said Uncle John，next morning，"we may consider ourselves very lucky.Your parents might have come to Naples a hundred times，my dears，and your children may come a hundred times more，and yet never see the sights that have greeted us on our arrival.If the confounded old hill was bound to spout，it did the fair thing by spouting when we were around.Eh，Patsy？""I quite agree with you，"said the girl."I wouldn't havemissed it for anything—if it really had to behave so.""But you'll pay for it！"growled Signor Valdi，who had overheard these remarks."You will pay for it with a thousand discomforts—and I'm glad that is so.Vesuvio is hell let loose；and it amuses you.Hundreds are lying dead and crushed；and you are lucky to be here.Listen，"he dropped his voice to a whisper："if these Neapolitans could see the rejoicinga in my heart，they would kill me.And you？Pah！you are no better.You also rejoice—and they will welcome you to Naples.I have advice.Do not go on shore.It is useless."They were all startled by this strange speech，and the reproof b it conveyed made them a trifle uncomfortable；but Uncle John whispered that the man was mad，and to pay no attention to him.
Although ashes still fell softly upon the ship the day had somewhat lightened the gloom and they could see from deck the dim outlines of the shore.A crowd of boats presentlyswarmed around them，their occupants eagerly clamoring for passengers to go ashore，or offering fruits，flowers and souvenirs to any who might be induced to purchase.Their indifference to their own and their city's danger wasastonishing.It was their custom to greet arriving steamers in this way，for by this means they gained a livelihood.Nothing short of absolute destruction seemed able to interfere with their established occupations.
A steam tender also came alongside，and after a cordialfarewell to the ship's of？cers and their travelling acquaintances，Uncle John placed his nieces and their baggage aboard the tender，which shortly deposited them safely upon the dock.
Perhaps a lot of passengers more dismal looking never before landed on the beautiful shores of Naples—beautiful no longer，but presenting an appearance gray and grewsomea.Ashes were ankle deep in the streets—a fine，flour—like dust that clung to your clothing，filled your eyes and lungs and seemed to penetrate everywhere.The foliage of the trees andshrubbery drooped under its load and had turned from green to the all—pervading gray.The grass was covered；the cornices and balconies of the houses were banked with ashes.
"Bless me ！"said Uncle John."It's as bad as Pompey，or whatever that city was called that was buried in the Bible days.""Oh，not quite，Uncle，"answered Patsy，in her cheeryvoice；"but it may be，before Vesuvius is satis？ed.""It is certainly bad enough，"observed Louise，poutinga as she marked the destruction of her pretty cloak by the grimyb deposit that was fast changing its color and texture.
"Well，let us get under shelter as soon as possible，"saidUncle John.
The outlines of a carriage were visible a short distance away.He walked up to the driver and said：
"We want to go to a hotel."The man paid no attention.
"Ask him how much he charges，Uncle.You know youmustn't take a cab in Naples without bargaining.""Why not？""The driver will swindlec you.""I'll risk that，"he answered."Just now we're lucky if we get a carriage at all."He reached up and prodded the jehud in the ribs with his cane."How much to the Hotel Vesuvius？"he demanded，loudly.
The man woke up and flourished his whip，at the sametime bursting into a ？ood of Italian.
The girls listened carefully.They had been trying to study Italian from a small book Beth had bought entitled "Italian in Three Weeks without a Master，"but not a word the driver ofthe carriage said seemed to have occurred in the vocabulary of the book.He repeated "Vesuvio"many times，however，with scornful，angry or imploring intonations，and Louise ？nally said：
"He thinks you want to go to the volcano，Uncle.The hotel is the Vesuve，not the Vesuvius.""What's the difference？""I don't know.""All right；you girls just hop in，and leave the rest tome."He tumbled them all into the vehicle，bag and baggage，and then said sternly to the driver：
"Ho—tel Ve—suve—Ve—suve—ho—tel Ve—suve ！Drive there darned quick，or I'll break your confounded neck."The carriage started.It plowed its way jerkily through the dust—laden streets and finally stopped at an imposing looking structure.The day was growing darker，and an electric lamp burned before the entrance.But no one came out to receive them.
Uncle John climbed out and read the sign."Hotel du Vesuve."It was the establishment he had been advised to stop at while in Naples.He compared the sign with a card which he drew from his pocket，and knew that he had made no mistake.
