o feel an unpleasant fear
stealing over them.

A little way out of Sorrento the driver halted and spoke to Uncle
Moses.

He felt a little troubled, he said, about taking the carriage into
the town. He reminded them of the recent uproar of the people, and
their narrow escape, and warned them that if they were recognized
they might again be assailed.

But this warning fell on heedless ears. Uncle Moses was decided to
go on. If David was anywhere, he might be in that very town, a
prisoner in the hands of those foolish people who took offence at
nothing. If they wished to save him, they must go into the very
midst of the people, and gave him from their vengeance.

At this the driver drove on.

About a half a mile outside the town they overtook an old woman,
and the driver stopped, and put to her the usual question. As the
woman looked up they all recognized her at once.

She was their old friend, or rather enemy--the virago herself, and
no other!

At the driver's question she stared at them, and at once recognized
them all. A dark and gloomy expression came over her, and if glances
could have injured them they would have been blasted on the spot.

She stood there, and after the driver had asked the question she
glared at them for some time in silence, looking from one to the
other. Then she stretched forth a long, bony, skinny hand, and
shook it at them. Then she burst forth in a long, shrill, venomous
strain of denunciation, of which the boys could not understand one
word; but the meaning of which they could easily conjecture.

"What does she say?" asked Uncle Moses of the driver.

"O, nothing," said the driver. "She only does curse; and she
say she will haf vengeance." And once more the driver urged
Uncle Moses go back.

But this appearance of the virago and her threats only roused Uncle
Moses to fresh determination. He was now confident that David had
been seized by the Sorrentonians, and that this woman was, perhaps,
the instigator and leader in the act. He urged the driver to talk
to her; but the driver assured him that it was useless, that she
was crazy, and that if they wanted to gain information they must
make inquiries elsewhere.

They now resumed their progress, and before long entered the town,
and reached the hotel. Uncle Moses at once sought the landlord.
At the appearance of the carriage and passengers the landlord looked
a little uneasy, and at the inquiry of Uncle Moses he looked still
more