ed bundle. There it was, lying unhurt, and he was about to
seize it and carry it to a place of safety, when a fast-trotting horse
with one of the light country gigs behind him, dashed down the street.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" shouted the driver--but it
was too late!

The gig flew on, and Tuttu lay white and quiet, the _scaldino_ still
grasped in his two little outstretched hands.

CHAPTER IV.

"Where's the _scaldino_, grandmother?" were Tuttu's first words, when
he woke up to find himself lying on a little bed in a long room, with
Maddalena and Father Giacomo bending over him. "We saved up.... It's
all for you...." he muttered brokenly, "Have you got it?"

"Yes, my lamb. A beautiful one it is," said the old woman, the tears
streaming down her wrinkled face. "You lie still and get better, my
Tuttu."

"I will, grandmother, but I want you to see the surprise inside. It's
from weeding.... Father Giacomo will tell you. I'm so tired,
grandmother.... How's Bianca?"

"Very well, Tuttu, she has only a slight scratch.... Oh, my poor boy!"
and Father Giacomo's voice broke.

"Is it near evening?" said Tuttu, after a few minutes, during which he
lay moving his head restlessly.

"It soon will be," said the Padre. "Why do you ask, Tuttu?"

"The _fiasco_.... Do you think I may put a bean in to-night, or was I
too angry?"

"You may, Tuttu," said Father Giacomo, turning away his head. "If you
tell me where it is, I will send for it."

"By the melon bed. Tutti knows. He'll bring it," whispered Tuttu.
"It's nearly full--only four days more. Put one in for Tutti."

As the setting sun streamed into the long room, Tutti crept in,
holding Father Giacomo's hand; carrying the broken _fiasco_.

Tuttu awoke from a restless sleep as they entered, and smiled with a
faint reflection of his old happy laugh. "That's right, Tutti. You
_have_ been good, haven't you?"

"Yes," quavered Tutti, lifting his terrified, tear-stained face to his
brother.

"Put your bean in then, Tutti, and give me mine. It's getting so late,
it's almost night-time."

Tutti held out the bean with a trembling hand, and as it dropped into
the old bottle, little Tuttu gave a quiet sigh.

"It only wants four more," he said happily.

Only four more! But Tuttu might never put them in. That night he
started on a long, long journey, and as the old grandmother with
choking sobs placed the broken bottle on a shelf among her treasures,
she turne