pockets-but, fortunately, a pocket in a lady's dress is rather a hard thing to find."

"I think so," said John. "I don't see how the owners of them ever find them at all."

"My mother concluded, at length," continued Florence, "that she would make believe wake up, and that that might frighten the robber away. The manner in which she carried this plan into execution, and the result of it will form the subject of the next chapter. End of the chapter."

"That is a very good place to end a chapter," said John.

"How do you like my book ?" asked Florence. "Very well, so far," said John. “But I want to know how it is going to turn out."

"You will hear by and by," said Florence. "When we get a little further up the hill, I will give you another chapter."

"Florence," said John, after they had gone on a little farther, "suppose these men should be robbers, and that their plan is, when we get to the loneliest place, in going up this long hill, to rob us, what should we do? They are two, and the vetturino is only one. I could fight much."

I don't suppose

"I don't suppose you could," rejoined Flo

rence.

"I wish I had a revolver," said John.

"Chapter Fourth," said Florence, resuming her pretended reading. "So my mother began to move in her berth as if she was waking up. She drew a long breath and stretched out her arms, pretending all the time not to look at the thief. Still she contrived to peep at him through her eyelashes, and she saw that as soon as he heard her moving, he dropped down to the floor and crept back out of the state-room on all fours, and then shut the door softly. So my mother was convinced that he was a thief, and that he had come in to steal the money from the pockets of her dresses.

As soon as he had gone, she rose and locked the door, making as little noise in doing it as she possibly could. She did not tell me or my sister anything about it, for fear of making us afraid, and she was quite at a loss to know whether she ought to tell the captain or not.

"She thought that if she were to tell the captain of what had occurred, and he should punish the man in any way, the man would be angry, and might, perhaps, attempt to revenge himself on her for making the complaint against him. And even if the captain should put the thief in confinement, so that he could not himself do my mother any injury, she thought that he might

possibly have some confederates who might make her some serious trouble. For we are very helpless at sea, and very much at the mercy of those around us.

"But then, on the other hand, my mother thought it would not be right to conceal the affair altogether, and so let such a thief remain in the ship unsuspected, and thus give him an opportunity to steal money from other people. After a good deal of reflection, my mother finally determined what she would do. End of the chapter."

"Ah, Florence!" exclaimed John, in a tone of disappointment. "You ought not to stop. there. What did she determine to do ?"

"You will hear in the next chapter," said Florence. "The next chapter will be the last." "Then let me have it now," said John. "And see! I believe we are getting to the top of the hill."

"So we are," said Florence. "I must finish my book. Chapter Fifth, Conclusion."

"My mother finally concluded to wait until the last day of the voyage, and then to tell the captain. This she did. The captain seemed somewhat displeased that she had not told him before. He asked her if she knew who the person was. She said she did not. Then the cap

tain had all the stewards and waiters called together at a place where my mother could observe them, in order that she might see if she could recognize the man. She did recognize him, and pointed him out, and the captain had him arrested and put in irons. When this was known, I believe some other proof of his depredations came out, and some stolen goods were found in his chest; but what was finally done with him, my mother never knew. The end."

"Is that the end of the book ?" asked John.

"Yes," said Florence, “and we are up at the top of the hill."

In fact, just as Florence spoke these words, the carriage reached the top of the ascent and stopped. The two men unhooked their yoke of oxen and turned them out to the side of the road. Pacifico took out a leathern bag from his pocket, which seemed to be full of silver and copper coin, and counted out the money which he had promised them for their services. He then gave them each a small silver coin in addition, saying something at the same time in Italian, and looking toward the carriage. The men immediately both took off their caps and bowed to Florence and John, looking at the same time extremely pleased.

"He gave them some money for us," said John, "and told them so."

"Yes," replied Florence, "I have no doubt he did."

The men put their money in their own leathern bags, and then, after bowing once more in a very deferential manner to Florence and John, went off with their oxen down the hill.

"They were not brigands, after all," said John.

"No," said Florence," they are two innocent drivers of oxen."