es on
Modern History," new edition of the "Agamemnonian Triology" of
Aeschylus, with new readings, "Harmony of Greek Accent and Prosody,"
"Exercises in Sanscrit for Beginners, on the Ollendorf System,"
"The Odyssey of Homer translated into the Dublin Irish dialect,"
"Dissertation on the Symbolical Nature of the Mosaic Economy,"
"Elements of Logic," "Examination into the Law of Neutrals,"
"Life of General George Washington," "History of Patent Medicines,"
"Transactions of the 'Saco Association for the advancement of
Human Learning, particularly Natural Science' (consisting of one
article written by myself on 'The Toads of Maine')," and "Report
of the 'Kennebunkport, Maine, United Congregational Ladies'
Benevolent City Missionary and Mariners' Friend Society," which
will all be out some of these days, I don't know exactly when;
but after they come out this chapter will appear in book form. And
if any of my readers prefer to wait till they read that chapter
before reading any further, all I can say is, perhaps they'd
better not, as after all it has no necessary connection with the
fortunes of the Dodge Club.]

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

ITALIAN TRAVEL, ROADS, INNS.--A GRAND BREAKDOWN.--AN ARMY OF
BEGGARS.--SIX MEN HUNTING UP A CARRIAGE WHEEL; AND PLANS OF THE
SENATOR FOR THE GOOD OF ITALY.

On the following morning the Senator was picked up at the gate,
where he had waited patiently ever since the dawn of day. His seat
was secured. His friends were around him. He was safe. They rolled
on merrily all that day. And their carriage was ahead of that of
the Spaniards. They stopped at the same inns. Buttons was happy.

The next day came. At nine o'clock A.M. on the next day there was
a singular scene:

A vettura with the fore-wheel crushed into fragments; two horses
madly plunging; five men thrown in different directions on a soft
sand-bank; and a driver gazing upon the scene with a face of woe.

The Senator tried most energetically to brush the dust from his
clothes with an enormous red silk handkerchief; the Doctor and Mr.
Figgs looked aghast at huge rents in their nether garments; Buttons
and Dick picked themselves up and hurried to the wreck.

The emotions of the former may be conceived. The wheel was an utter
smash. No patching however thorough, no care however tender, could
place it on its edge again a perfect wheel. A hill rose before
them, behind which the Spaniards, hitherto their companions, had
disappeared