He smoked my favorite pipe, He blew a cloud of smoke, He pulled me out with his porcine snout, And hugging him, I awoke.
"Why, Dick," cried the Senator, "what precious nonsense!"
"Well, but you might as well put on an _idee_. It must have some meaning."
"Not a bit of it. It has no meaning; that is, no more than a dream or a nightmare."
The Senator now began to discuss the nature of poetry, but was suddenly interrupted by a shout--
The country about Paestum is one of the most beautiful in the world. Between the mountains and the sea lies a luxuriant plain, and in the middle of it is the ruined city. The outlines of walls and remnants of gates are there. Above all rise five ancient edifices. They strolled carelessly around. The marble floors of a good many private houses are yet visible, but the stupendous temples are the chief attractions here; above all, the majestic shrine of Neptune.
It was while standing with head thrown back, eyes and mouth opened wide, and thoughts all taken up with a deep calculation, that the Senator was startled by a sudden noise.
Turning hastily he saw something that made him run with the speed of the wind toward the place where the noise arose. Buttons and Dick were surrounded by a crowd of fierce-looking men, who were making very threatening demonstrations. There were at least fifteen. As the Senator ran up from one direction, so came up Mr. Figgs and the Doctor from another.
"What is this?" cried the Senator, bursting in upon the crowd.
A huge Italian was shaking his fist in Buttons's face, and stamping and gesticulating violently.
"These men say we must pay five piastres each to them for strolling about their ground, and Buttons has told this big fellow that he will give them five kicks each. There'll be some kind of a fight. They belong to the Camorra." Dick said all this in a hurried under-tone.
Just at this moment Buttons said something which seemed to sting the Italians to the soul, for with a wild shout they rushed forward. The Doctor drew out his revolver. Instantly Dick snatched it from him, and rushing forward, drove back the foremost. None of them were armed.
"Stand off!" he cried, in Italian. "The fight is between this big fellow and my friend. If any one of you interferes I'll put a bullet through him."