During the afternoon the gloom grew denser than before, while thicker than ever fell the rain of ashes.  This was the worst day Naples experienced during the great eruption, and Uncle John and his nieces were content to keep their rooms and live in the glare of electric lights.  Owing to their wise precautions to keep out the heavily laden air they breathed as little lava dust into their lungs as any people, perhaps, in the city; but to escape all was impossible.  Their eyes and throats became more or less inflamed by the floating atoms, and the girls declared they felt as if they were sealed up in a tomb.

“Well, my chickens, how do you like being abroad, and actually in Europe?” enquired Uncle John, cheerfully.

Beth and Patsy smiled at him, but Louise looked up from the Baedecker she was studying and replied: 

“It’s simply delightful, Uncle, and I’m glad we happened here during this splendid eruption of Vesuvius.  Only—­only—­”

“Only what, my dear?”

“Only it is such hard work to keep clean,” answered his dainty niece.  “Even the water is full of lava, and I’m sure my face looks like a chimney-sweep’s.”

“And you, Beth?”

“I don’t like it, Uncle.  I’m sure I’d prefer Naples in sunshine, although this is an experience we can brag about when we get home.”

“That is the idea, exactly,” said Louise, “and the only thing that reconciles me to the discomforts.  Thousands see Naples in sunshine, but few can boast seeing Vesuvius in eruption.  It will give us considerable prestige when we return home.”

“Ah, that is why I selected this time to bring you here,” declared Uncle John, with a comical wink.  “I ordered the eruption before I left home, and I must say they’ve been very prompt about it, and done the thing up brown.  Eh, Patsy?”

“Right you are, Uncle.  But you might tell ’em to turn off the eruption now, because we’ve had enough.”

“Don’t like Eu-rope, eh?”

“Why, if I thought all Europe was surrounded by volcanoes, I’d go home at once, if I had to walk.  But the geographies don’t mention many of these spouters, so we may as well stick out our present experience and hope the rest of the continent will behave better.  The Major’ll be worried to death when he hears of this.”

“I’ve sent him a cable,” said Uncle John.

“What did you say?” asked Patsy, eagerly.

“‘All safe and well and enjoying the fireworks.’”

“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 bargain.”

“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 kidiwinkles are in good shape.”