The only positive information that guided him on his quest of adventure was the name of the _albergo_ on the shore of S.Lucia which Caragol had given him as his father's residence.
He sought him vainly for many days and visited in Naples the consignees who thought that the captain had returned to his country some time ago.
Not finding him, he began to be afraid.

He ought to be back in Barcelona by this time and what he had begun as an heroic voyage was going to turn into a runaway, a boyish escapade.

He thought of his mother who was perhaps weeping hours at a time, reading and rereading the letter that he had left for her explaining the object of his flight.

Besides, Italy's intervention in the war,--an event which every one had been expecting but had supposed to be still a long way off,--had suddenly become an actual fact.

What was there left for him to do in this country ?...