Uncle Moses' razor was slipped hurriedly into the breast pocket
of his coat.

"O!" said-Frank, trying to speak in an easy, careless, matter-of-fact
tone. "We didn't know. Shall we leave in the morning?"

"O, yais. Alla r-r-raight," said the driver.

Soon after the party descended the ladder, and took it away. The
boys and Uncle Moses made no remark whatever. They all crept
silently, and rather sheepishly, back to their beds, feeling very
much ashamed of themselves.

And yet there was no reason for shame, for to them the danger seemed
real; and believing it to be real, they had not shrunk, but had
faced it with very commendable pluck.

This was the end of their troubles on the road. For the remainder
of that night they slept soundly. In the morning they awaked
refreshed, and found a good breakfast waiting for them. They
found also another carriage, in which they entered and resumed
their journey.

CHAPTER XXIV.

_A beautiful Country.--Magnificent Scenery.--The Approach to
Albano.--Enthusiasm of the Boys.--Archaeology versus Appetite.--The
Separation of the Boys.--The Story of the Alton Lake and the
ancient subterranean Channel._

As they rolled along the road on this last stage of their eventful
journey, they were all in the highest spirits. On to Rome! was
the watchword. It was a glorious day; the sun shone brightly from
a cloudless sky; the air was pure, and brilliant, and genial, and
it also had such a wonderful transparency that distant objects
seemed much nearer from the distinctness with which their outlines
were revealed. The road was a magnificent one,--broad, well paved,
well graded,--and though for some miles it was steadily ascending,
yet the ascent was made by such an easy slope, that it was really
imperceptible; and they bowled along as easily and as merrily as
if on level ground. Moreover, the scenery around was of the most
attractive character. They were among the mountains; and though
there were no snow-clad summits, and no lofty peaks lost amid the
clouds, still the lowering forms that appeared on every side were
full of grandeur and sublimity. Amid these the road wound, and, at
every new turn some fresh scene of beauty or of magnificence was
disclosed to their admiring eyes. Now it was a sequestered valley,
with a streamlet running through it, and the green of its surface
diversified by one or two white cottages, or the darker hue of
olive groves and vineyards; again it was some lit