o be back before it got hot.
Arriving at the Church of St. Sebastian he found to his disappointment
that it was not open yet. So he thought he would beguile the time by
walking about. So he strolled off to the tomb of Caecelia Metella,
which was the most striking object in view. He walked around it, and
broke off a few pieces of stone. He took also a few pieces of ivy.
These he intended to carry away as relics. At last he ventured to
enter and examine the interior. Scarce had he got inside than he
heard footsteps without. The door was blocked up by a number of
ill-looking men, who came in and caught him.

Meinheer Schatt confessed that he was completely overcome by terror.

However, he at last mustered sufficient strength to ask what they
wanted.

"You are our prisoner."

"Why? Who are you?"

"We are the secret body-guard of His Holiness, appointed by the
Sacred Council of the Refectory," said one of the men, in a mocking
tone.

Then Meinheer Schatt knew that they were robbers. Still he indignantly
protested he was an unoffending traveller.

"It's false! You have been mutilating the sacred sepulchre of the
dead, and violating the sanctity of their repose!"

And the fellow, thrusting his hands in the prisoner's pockets,
brought forth the stones and ivy. The others looked into his other
pockets, examined his hat, made him strip, shook his clothes, pried
into his boots--in short, gave him a thorough overhaul.

They found nothing, except, as Meinheer acknowledged, with a faint
smile, a piece of the value of three half-cents American, which he
had brought as a fee to the guide through the Catacombs. It was that
bit of money that caused his bonds. It maddened them. They danced
around him in perfect fury, and asked what he meant by daring to
come out and give them so much trouble with only that bit of impure
silver about him.

"Dog of a Tedescho! Your nation has trampled upon our liberties; but
Italy shall be avenged! Dog! scoundrel! villain! Tedescho!
Tedes-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-cho!"

The end of it was that Meinheer Schatt was tied in a singularly
uncomfortable position and left there. He thought he had been there
about five hours. He was faint and hungry.

They took him home.

CHAPTER XXXII.

ANOTHER DISCOVERY MADE BY BUTTONS.

On the evening after this adventure the Don turned the conversation
into a new channel. They all grew communicative. Buttons told them
that his father was an ext