t I am
getting lazy, the sun is so warm and there is so little to do." She
looked puzzled.

"That's quite as it should be," the Captain replied, "you are too young
to work."

"Oh, that is what you always say," Lucia protested, "I am too young and
Nana is too old, and Beppi--"

"Beppi is too lazy," the Captain laughed, "he is always asleep under
the flower bushes, but tell me," he continued gravely, "are you ever
homesick?"

"Homesick." Lucia considered for a moment, "For Maria, yes, but for
Cellino, no. I like to think of it, but I want always to live here."

"Good," the Captain smiled, "then you won't mind my going away?"

"Back to fight?" Lucia inquired.

The Captain nodded. "My wound is healed and I am well enough; they
need all the men they can get up there, you know."

"I know," Lucia looked very unhappy, "what terrible times there have
been since we came here; everything has gone wrong. Why I wonder, our
soldiers are as brave as ever. What has made us lose so much lately?"

A baffled look stole over the Captain's face and he shook his head
sorrowfully.

"No one knows, my dear," he said, "we have suffered terrible losses,
every plan that we make is known to the enemy."

"Do you remember the beggar you saw on the road the day you followed
the two Austrian soldiers?"

Lucia nodded.

"Well, there are many men like that in Italy, some are disguised as
beggars and some as just working men, but they are everywhere, and
through them our plans are given to the enemy."

"But surely the police could arrest them," Lucia protested, "they must
all be Austrians or Germans."

"They are, of course, but they have lived here among us for so long
that it is hard to tell them from ourselves; they speak, act and look
as we do."

"But they think as our enemies," Lucia added, "I understand. What very
bad men they must be, just to think that but for them we might have won
this horrible war by now."

"Perhaps," the Captain agreed, "but if they are here and we can't find
them out then we must win the war in spite of them, and that is why I
am going back."

"When?" Lucia asked. She was suddenly very unhappy for the memory of
the attack was still vivid, and she dreaded to think of her newly found
godfather's returning to the dangers and hardships of the front, but
she was too brave and too wise to say so. She kept a stiff upper lip
and her eyes were dry as they discussed the plans.

"I think I will leave in