John of the Woods

ably. They all jumped down from the cart, and under cover of the darkness Mother Margherita h

to move or speak. He had thrown off his long cloak, and the fire glanced brightly upon the green and gold costume of this quaint little figure,

ried gruffly.

do his tricks at the market to-day. The Gypsies beat him, and he has run away. Let us

nto an honest man's house! His master will be after him, and then we shall all get into trouble for sheltering a run

ich he thrust into his pocket. "Now let us have supper. You can count the

idly take his place at the board between Paolo and Giovanni, Bep

,-that was the most exciting of all. And how near they came to losing the bag of silver which they had earned by selling their vegetables at the market! Giuseppe asked Gigi many questions, not unkindly, but

e and lighted a candle. "Come with me, Gigi," she said,

ing head. The little boys called after him a hearty good-night. But Giuseppe saw him go

ired little wanderer. When Mother Margherita had bidden him a kind good-night and had closed the stable door behind her, Gigi threw himself upon the s

ame tongue that he learned at the beginning of the world,

out, bewildered. He did not know where he was. Who was this bending over him in the dim light? Not Tonio; not Cecco; not the Gia

e will take you to the village to-day and give you up to your masters. He thin

" cried Gigi, stil

counted the money in the bag we found it short by one piece of silver, besides the one I gave you. That was my own to d

ow. "Oh, I would not steal from you,-not from

t when I was making change for somebody. But he will not believe. You must be off, Gigi, before he wakes, o

t and looked wildly ar

l I do?"

yes. "Here is your cloak to hide that gaudy dress. And here is a bundle of food,-all I could spare without the good man's knowledge. For it must seem that you have run away of your own accord. I know that will make

highroad. "Follow that," she said. "It will be safer in case you are pursued. And it comes at last to the great road into another country. There perhap