went home draped
in bones.

Suppose that instead of finding the bones of a horse we had uncovered a
gold-wrapped king. Suppose that instead of a deserted cave that boy
had dug into a whole buried city with theaters and mills and shops and
beautiful houses. Suppose that instead of picking up an Indian arrowhead
you could find old golden vases and crowns and bronze swords lying in
the earth. If you could be a digger and a finder and could choose your
find, would you choose a marble statue or a buried bakeshop with bread
two thousand years old still in the oven or a king's grave filled with
golden gifts? It is of such digging and such finding that this book
tells.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD: To BOYS AND GIRLS

POMPEII

1. The Greek Slave and the Little Roman Boy

2. Vesuvius

3. Pompeii Today

_Pictures of Pompeii:_

A Roman Boy

The City of Naples

Vesuvius in Eruption

Pompeii from an Airplane

Nola Street; the Stabian Gate

In the Street of Tombs

The Amphitheater; the Baths

Temple of Apollo; School of the Gladiators

The Smaller Theater

A Sacrifice

Scene in the Forum; Hairpins; Bath Appliances

Peristyle of the House of the Vettii

Lady Playing a Harp

Kitchen of the House of the Vettii

Kitchen Utensils; Centaur Cup

The House of the Tragic Poet

Mosaic of Watch Dog

The House of Diomede

A Bakery; Section of a Mill

Lucius Caecilius Jueundus

Bronze Candleholder

The Dancing Faun
Hermes in Repose

The Arch of Nero

[Illustration: Line Art of Bronze Lamp. Caption: _Bronze Lamps_. The
bowl held olive oil. A wick came out at the nozzle. These lamps gave a
dim and smoky light.]

THE GREEK SLATE AND THE LITTLE ROMAN BOY

Ariston, the Greek slave, was busily painting. He stood in a little room
with three smooth walls. The fourth side was open upon a court. A little
fountain splashed there. Above stretched the brilliant sky of Italy. The
August sun shone hotly down. It cut sharp shadows of the columns on the
cement floor. This was the master's room. The artist was painting the
walls. Two were already gay with pictures. They showed the mighty deeds
of warlike Herakles. Here was Herakles strangling the lion, Herakles
killing the hideous hydra, Herakles carrying the wild boar on his
shoulders, Herakles training the mad horses. But now the boy was
painting the best deed of all--Herakles saving Alcestis