an
entertaining young American gentleman about?"

"Ump!" he grunted. "I thought you were so immensely satisfied with the
officers."

"Oh, I am," she agreed with a shrug which dismissed forever the young
American gentleman.

"Well, Gustavo," she added in a business-like tone, "I will tell you why
we called. The doctor says the Signor Papa is getting too fat--I don't
think he's too fat, do you? He seems to me just comfortably chubby; but
anyway, the doctor says he needs exercise, so we're going to begin
climbing mountains with nails in our shoes like the Germans. And we're
going to begin to-morrow because we've got two English people at the
villa who adore mountains. Do you think you can find us a guide and some
donkeys? We want a nice, gentle, lady-like donkey for my aunt, and
another for the English lady and a third to carry the things--and maybe
me, if I get tired. Then we want a man who will twist their tails and
make them go; and I am very particular about the man. I want him to be
picturesque--there's no use being in Italy if you can't have things
picturesque, is there, Gustavo?"

"_Si_, signorina," he bowed and resumed his attitude of strained
attention.

"He must have curly hair and black eyes and white teeth and a nice smile;
I should like him to wear a red sash and earrings. He must be obliging
and cheerful and deferential and speak good Italian--I won't have a man
who speaks only dialect. He must play the mandolin and sing Santa
Lucia--I believe that's all."

"And I suppose since he is to act as guide he must know the region?" her
father mildly suggested.

"Oh, no, that's immaterial; we can always ask our way."

Mr. Wilder grunted, but offered no further suggestion.

"We pay four lire a day and furnish his meals," she added munificently.
"And we shall begin with the castle on Monte Baldo; then when we get very
proficient we'll climb Monte Maggiore. Do you understand?"

"Ze signorina desires tree donkeys and a driver at seven o'clock
to-morrow morning to climb Monte Baldo?"

"In brief, yes, but _please_ remember the earrings."

* * * * *

Meanwhile a commotion was going on behind them. The hotel omnibus had
rumbled into the court yard. A _fachino_ had dragged out a leather trunk,
an English hat box and a couple of valises and dumped them on the ground
while he ran back for the paste pot and a pile of labels. The two
under-waiters, the chamber-maid and the boy who