, too?"

The boy laughed again. "You can pick an ivy leaf from the plant
near-by. Is not that what your country-women do?" he asked.

Edith tossed her head. "Of course," she answered. "I have a large
collection of ivy leaves myself,--one from every castle in England and
Ireland."

The boy looked mischievous. "One from Juliet's tomb will be most
precious of all," he told her, "because ivy grows not so easily in
Italy as in England."

"Is there anything else to be seen in Verona?" asked Mrs. Sprague.

"There is a colosseum in Verona which is second only to the one in
Rome, Signora," Rafael replied.

But Edith shook her head. "That cannot be," she said. "We have one in
the United States which we think is next to the Roman one in
importance."

It was the boy's turn to show surprise. "How can that be?" he asked
quickly. "The one in Verona is very old, and has seen many exciting
battles between gladiators."

"Well," persisted the girl, "our stadium in Cambridge, where the men
of Harvard University fight their foot-ball battles with men of other
colleges, has seen just as interesting contests as any colosseum in
Europe. Thousands and thousands of people have cheered the victors in
our country as well as yours," and Edith's cheeks flushed, as she
thought of some of the stirring foot-ball games which she had
witnessed.

The boy looked at her in amazement. "I did not know that you ever saw
such inspiring sights in your country," he said humbly.

"Indeed we do," said Edith, glad to see that Rafael was impressed.

"How long will it take to reach Verona from Venice?" asked Mrs.
Sprague.

"If you leave here at the fifteen hours, you will arrive before
sunset," he answered.

"At the fifteen hours," repeated Edith with a laugh. "What a funny way
to say three o'clock. Your way of counting time up to the twenty-four
hours is the queerest thing in Italy."

"It seems the most natural thing in the world to me," said her mother.
"There are twenty-four hours in the day. Why should we not name each
one?"

Then she arranged that Rafael should take them to the station in his
boat, on the next day, at the fifteen hours.

CHAPTER VIII

EDITH'S FLORENTINE MOSAIC

HOTEL NEW YORK, FLORENCE, ITALY.
October 10, 19--.

TO SIGNOR RAFAEL VALLA,

_My dear Sir:_--Can you leave your tops for a few moments and read a
letter from your American friends, the Spragues?

Although we have been in Florence for more than a month