grinders.

The Italian began to grind his organ when he saw the accession of the
young folk from Central High to his crowd of spectators. They made a
goodly audience and Tony Allegretto--if that was his name--began his
open-air performance.

"Aria from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' to inaugurate the performance of a
monkey," chuckled Jess. "How are the mighty fallen!"

Suddenly Tony changed the tune and spoke a sharp word in Italian to the
monkey. Instantly the creature went to the front of the platform, took
off his cap, bowed to the audience with hand and cap upon his heart, and
then began to dance.

It was a rather melancholy dance, but he turned and twisted, while Tony
scolded and threatened in a low voice.

"Gee!" exclaimed Lance. "That's the monkey that put the 'tang' in
'tango'--eh, what?"

"Poor little thing!" said the Lockwood twins together.

"I don't believe he likes to do that," said Laura.

"He ought to be taken away from that man and sent to school," declared
Chet, with gravity in his face but a twinkle in his eye.

"He'd do quite as well in his classes as some of you boys, I have no
doubt," said Jess, quickly. "At least, Professor Dimp says you act like
a lot of monkeys sometimes."

"Old Dimple is prejudiced," declared Lance. "He ought to see _this_
monkey act. Phew! see him whirl. There! that's over. Now what next?"

CHAPTER IV

A SOLEMN MOMENT

The dance of the performing monkey had ceased and its owner changed the
tune on the piano-organ again. He handed the monkey a little toy gun
with one hand while he still turned the crank with the other. The monkey
threw the gun down petulantly at first, but Tony threatened him and
finally the animal held it when it was thrust into his hands.

"That monk certainly does understand Italian," admitted Lance. "I bet
they are related."

"Lance is 'sore' on the Italian because he thinks Laura admires Tony,"
chuckled Chet.

"Be still!" commanded Laura. "You had better be nice to us girls or we
won't keep the secret of how you boys took an involuntary bath to-day."

"'Nuff said," growled Chet. "I'm dumb."

The monkey was changing the gun from hand to shoulder, and holding it in
different positions supposedly in imitation of a soldier's drill. But
some of the audience laughed at its awkwardness.

"The Italian army must drill differently from ours," said Dora Lockwood.

"Did you ever see anything so funny?" laughed her twin.

Tony overheard them