were away, for one would imagine from the answers I have got out of you as yet, that you had been doing no more than taking a little country stroll near your favourite Florence, instead of having wandered over one of the wildest little islands in the Mediterranean."

Thus entreated, and happy to find so agreeable an auditor, Paul began his narration.

Signor Rossi, meanwhile, put himself in the easiest position the nature of the ground would allow, and lazily listened to the descriptions of his young companion as he smoked his favourite cigar.

When Paul, however, came to the grotto, and described his feelings before entering it, Rossi's interest was awakened; and it increased considerably as the youthful adventurer went on, and told in glowing language his discovery of the grotto itself, its mysterious reservoir of delicious water, its dropping well, and the beautiful prospect of rock and sea and sky, beheld from the natural window of that cool and secluded retreat.

"Per Bacco !" exclaimed Rossi, "what a famous place that would be to smoke one's weed in! How long, now, do you think, it would take to get there from here?"

"Now I know the road," answered Paul, "I should say about three-quarters of an hour."

"And do you think you would be too tired to take another journey there to-day? Say in an hour or so hence ?"

"Oh no," replied Paul; "on the contrary, I should like it."

Nothing more was said at the time. Rossi's easy position and the warmth of the afternoon together, at length drew him off into a sound sleep, and as Signor Giorgio still remained within the hut, Paul went and sat himself by the edge of the sea, with his feet in the water to cool them.

-now

As he was thus seated upon the shore of this distant island, musing upon this and upon that—n calling to mind the late terrible tragedy, and then losing himself in conjectures as to where the three sailors were wandering, he was himself the subject of much painful and eager inquiry. Mr. Freeman, the gentleman at Leghorn under whose temporary care he had been placed, had expected him at dinner-time the day before with impatience, a feeling which gave way to anxiety as evening drew on, and the youth was still absent. The inquiries which had been at first set on foot among the domestics, were extended beyond the establishment, and it was at length discovered that he had hired old Giacomo's boat in the morning and had not come back. At the port, whither Mr. Freeman proceeded, that gentleman could only learn that the youth had been seen quitting the mole, but had not been observed to return. And thus the night passed. In the morning the inquiry was renewed, the British Consul joining in the investigation. The man at the lighthouse was applied to, and from him they learnt that the boat had been watched, from the fact of its being a good way from the shore, and having in it only a youth whose strength was evi

dently inadequate to manage the sail it carried in the freshening breeze. The man's attention was subsequently called from the adventurous skiff by some necessary duty of his position, and when he applied his glass again in the direction he had last seen the boat, it was no longer visible, but in its place there appeared a rakish-looking felucca which, with all canvas spread, was sailing with remarkable swiftness southwards. The boat was seen no

more.

This most unsatisfactory intelligence was all Mr. Freeman could gather. As other days passed on, large rewards were offered for any intelligence of our young friend, and Mr. Freeman's correspondents in all the ports of Italy were made acquainted with the circumstance. Had the felucca been an ordinary trading vessel, it is probable that the captain or some of her crew would have learnt the stir that was made for the absentee, and have had a chance of the prize to be awarded for his recovery; as it was, they did not even hear that any inquiry had been set on foot, and amid other dangerous expeditions, soon ceased to remember the rescue of Paul and the landing of the party at Monte Cristo.

CHAPTER XIII.

The expedition to the grotto-The spy-Signor Giorgio-An unexpected visitor - Treachery - The drowned man Threatened dangers.

SIGNOR ROSSI'S curiosity had been so awakened by Paul's description of the grotto, that as soon as he awoke from his short nap he resolved to set out himself to have a peep at it.

He had also another end in view, and that was to convey thither some few stores both of provision and powder in case of there being a necessity to seek a more secure retreat than the open and unprotected hut.

Having communicated his intention to Signor Giorgio, who didn't seem half pleased, Paul thought, at being left alone, Rossi and his young guide set out, each with a bag across his shoulder containing sundry matters of undoubted utility, and which could be spared from the general store.

Paul was, moreover, not a little proud in the possession of a pair of silver-mounted pistols that his friend presented him, and which, duly loaded, were thrust into the belt which confined his trousers at the waist. Signor Rossi was armed in the same

way; so that with these instruments in addition to the gun, they made a rather formidable appear

ance.

Paul, with the usual elasticity of youth, soon recovered his wonted animation as they went along, and his laugh rang amid the rocks as they passed, and awoke many an echo which had perhaps slumbered for years.

They who heard that sound so light and buoyant, would scarcely have believed that it could issue from the lips of one who had already seen and suffered so much, and who was still among dangers which might at any moment burst around him.

His companion had suddenly become unusually grave. Though by nature of even a lighter heart than Paul, his maturer years and experience could not disguise from him the perils by which they were surrounded, and the uncertainty of their rescue from what was little better than a wide prison. As he went along, too, he kept a wary eye about him for the three sailors, who he was aware must be skulking somewhere in the neighbourhood.

So much was the road shortened by conversation and companionship, that Paul was astonished to find himself in sight of the green turf before he imagined they could have performed half the journey.

They stopped to rest for a few minutes on the cool grass, and to admire the beautiful prospect which it commanded; then, having carefully scanned

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