ir
bright feathers of gold and silver, lost to them forever.

Through this crowd of paupers and beggars, a beautiful coach passed now
and again. Within it sat either a Fox, a Hawk, or a Vulture.

"Where is the Field of Wonders?" asked Pinocchio, growing tired of
waiting.

"Be patient. It is only a few more steps away."

They passed through the city and, just outside the walls, they stepped
into a lonely field, which looked more or less like any other field.

"Here we are," said the Fox to the Marionette. "Dig a hole here and put
the gold pieces into it."

The Marionette obeyed. He dug the hole, put the four gold pieces into
it, and covered them up very carefully. "Now," said the Fox, "go to that
near-by brook, bring back a pail full of water, and sprinkle it over the
spot."

Pinocchio followed the directions closely, but, as he had no pail, he
pulled off his shoe, filled it with water, and sprinkled the earth which
covered the gold. Then he asked:

"Anything else?"

"Nothing else," answered the Fox. "Now we can go. Return here within
twenty minutes and you will find the vine grown and the branches filled
with gold pieces."

Pinocchio, beside himself with joy, thanked the Fox and the Cat many
times and promised them each a beautiful gift.

"We don't want any of your gifts," answered the two rogues. "It is
enough for us that we have helped you to become rich with little or no
trouble. For this we are as happy as kings."

They said good-by to Pinocchio and, wishing him good luck, went on their
way.

CHAPTER 19

Pinocchio is robbed of his gold pieces and, in punishment, is sentenced
to four months in prison.

If the Marionette had been told to wait a day instead of twenty minutes,
the time could not have seemed longer to him. He walked impatiently to
and fro and finally turned his nose toward the Field of Wonders.

And as he walked with hurried steps, his heart beat with an excited tic,
tac, tic, tac, just as if it were a wall clock, and his busy brain kept
thinking:

"What if, instead of a thousand, I should find two thousand? Or if,
instead of two thousand, I should find five thousand--or one hundred
thousand? I'll build myself a beautiful palace, with a thousand stables
filled with a thousand wooden horses to play with, a cellar overflowing
with lemonade and ice cream soda, and a library of candies and fruits,
cakes and cookies."

Thus amusing himself with fancies, he came to the field. The