work of one of the great nations
of antiquity, this having been a city of the Greeks, before the Romans
planted their conquering feet here, to die away leaving their broken
columns, ruined temples, and traces of their circus and aqueducts, among
which the mingled race of Turks and present-day Greeks had raised the
shabby village, more than town, that clustered about the port.

"Safe ashore at last," said the professor as he stepped on to a large
block of squared stone in which was secured with lead an ancient ring.
"Now, Lawrence, our travels are to begin. How do you feel? ready for
plenty of adventure?"

"Yes, quite," was the reply.

"Then, first of all, for a comfortable resting-place. To-morrow we will
see the resident, and then make preparations for our start."

"Humph!" ejaculated Mr Burne; and he blew his nose in a way never heard
in Asia Minor before.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

PREPARATIONS FOR A JOURNEY.

Lawrence Grange left England as weak and helpless in mind as he was in
body; but, in the brief period that had elapsed, his mind had rapidly
recovered its balance, and, leaving his body behind, had strengthened so
that, eager and bright, and urged on by the glorious novelty of the
things he saw, his spirit was now always setting his body tasks that it
could not perform.

"I'm sure I am getting worse," he said one morning, after returning from
having a delicious bathe down by the ruins of the old port. "I never
felt so weak as this in England."

The professor burst into a hearty fit of laughter, in which the old
lawyer joined, and then took snuff and snapped his fingers till both his
companions sneezed.

"I say," cried Lawrence, "isn't it cruel of you two, laughing at a poor
fellow for what he cannot help."

He looked so piteously at them that they both grew serious directly.

"Why, my dear boy," cried Mr Preston, "can you not see that you keep on
overtasking yourself? Growing worse! Now, be reasonable; you had to be
carried down to the fly in London; the porters carried you to the
first-class carriage in which you went down by rail, and you were
carried to the steamer."

"Yes," said Lawrence sadly; "that is true, but I did not feel so weak as
this."

"Get out, you young cock-goose!" cried Mr Burne. "Why, you have been
bathing, and you haven't had your breakfast yet."

"And you are mistaking fatigue for weakness," said the professor.

"Of course," cried Mr Burne. "Why, look here. You w