," said Uncle Moses, with a groan. "The whole population
were ravin mad, an we had hard enough work to get away."

"Well," said Frank, "it's the only thing that can account for Dave's
absence. He may have taken a little stroll this morning, and fallen
into the hands of some of those fellows. Perhaps they've been
watching all night for the chance. They would watch, not only all
night, but a fortnight, for the sake of revenge. There's no people
so revengeful as the Italians. Poor Dave! What can we do? I'll go
and ask the driver."

Saying this, Frank hurried out of the room and down stairs to
talk to the driver about it. All the others followed. On
suggesting this Sorrento theory to the driver, that worthy
shook his head, and thought that there might be something in
it. He evidently began to look upon David's absence as something
very serious, and his seriousness over it only added to the
anxiety of Uncle Moses and the boys.

"If this is so, we ought to drive off to Sorrento at once," said
Frank, "before it is too late. If Dave is in their hands, he needs
us now, and I only wish we had thought of this before."

"But he mayn't be there at all," said Bob, who
generally had a mind of his own.

"Where else is he?"

"I don't know."

"There's no need for all of us to go," said Uncle Moses. "I'll go
alone, and you boys stay here till I come back. But I don't know,
either. I'm afraid to leave you. If David's got into trouble, how
can any of you hope to escape? No, you must all come, for I declare
I'm afraid to trust one of you out of my sight."

"But some of us ought to stay," said Bob, "for Dave may turn up
all right, and how'll he know what's become of us?"

"Wal," said Uncle Moses, "I'll leave word for him here at the
hotel."

"Yes." said Frank, "that's the best way. None of us want to dawdle
our lives out in this place all day, and you don't want to leave
any of us behind, Uncle Moses; so if we all go together, we'll all
be satisfied."

A few minutes afterwards the carriage rolled out of Castellamare,
carrying the party back to Sorrento.

CHAPTER XII.

_The Waking of David.--A glorious Scene.--A Temptation.--David
embarks upon the wide wide Sea.--Youth at the Prow and Pleasure at
the Helm.--A daring Navigator.--A baffled and confounded
Navigator.--Lost! Lost! Lost!--Despair of David.--At the Mercy of
Wind and Sea.--The Isle of the Brigands.--The Brigand Chief._

On the morning of that day David had