"It's quite like coasting," said he, after he had reached the bottom; "only it does come a little hard on the trowsers." On their arrival at the Hermitage to their surprise they saw nothing of Mr. Figgs. The Doctor had been sleeping all the time, but the landlord said he had not been that way. As they knew that the neighborhood of Vesuvius was not always the safest in the world, they all went back at once to search after him. [Illustration: Where's Figgs?] Arriving at the foot of the cone they went everywhere shouting his name. There was no response. They skirted the base of the cone. They walked up to where he had been. They saw nothing. The guides who had thus far been with them now said they had to go. So they received their pay and departed. "Of all the mean, useless, chicken-hearted dolts that ever I see," said the Senator, "they are the wust!" But meanwhile there was no Figgs. They began to feel anxious. At last Buttons, who had been up to where Mr. Figgs was left, thought he saw traces of footsteps in the sand that was nearest. He followed these for some time, and at last shouted to the others. The others went to where he was. They saw an Italian with him--an ill-looking, low-browed rascal, with villain stamped on every feature. "This fellow says he saw a man who answers the description of Figgs go over in that direction," said Buttons, pointing toward the part of the mountain which is furthest from the sea. "There? What for?" "I don't know." "Is there any danger?" "I think so--Figgs may have had to go--who knows?" "Well," said the Senator, "we must go after him." "What arms have you?" said the Doctor. "Don't show it before this rascal." "I have a bowie-knife," said Buttons. "So have I," said Dick. "And I," said the Senator, "am sorry to say that I have nothing at all." "Well, I suppose we must go," said the Doctor. "My revolver is something. It is a double revolver, of peculiar shape." Without any other thought they at once prepared to venture into a district that for all they knew might swarm with robbers. They had only one thought, and that was to save Figgs. "Can this man lead us?" asked Dick. "He says he can take us along where he saw Figgs go, and perhaps we may see some people who can tell us about him." "Perhaps we can," said the Senator, grimly. They then started off with the Italian at their head. The sun was by this time within an hour's distance from the horizon, and they had no time to lose. So they walked rapidly. Soon they entered among hills and rocks of lava, where the desolation of the surrounding country began to be modified by vegetation. It was quite difficult to keep their reckoning, so as to know in what direction they were going, but they kept on nevertheless.