rs.
"Perhaps he cannot come home."

"Did he ever speak to you of running away?" asked the padrone, with a
sudden thought.

Giacomo hesitated. He could not truthfully deny that Filippo had done
so, but he did not want to get his friend into trouble. He remained
silent, looking up at the tyrant with troubled eyes.

"Why do you not speak? Did you hear my question?" asked the padrone,
with a threatening gesture.

Had the question been asked of some of the other boys present, they
would not have scrupled to answer falsely; but Giacomo had a religious
nature, and, neglected as he had been, he could not make up his mind to
tell a falsehood. So, after a pause, he faltered out a confession that
Phil had spoken of flight.

"Do you hear that, Pietro?" said the padrone, turning to his nephew.
"The little wretch has doubtless run away."

"Shall I look for him to-morrow?" asked Pietro, with alacrity, for to
him it would be a congenial task to drag Phil home, and witness the
punishment.

"Yes, Pietro. I will tell you where to go in the morning. We must have
him back, and I will beat him so that he will not dare to run away
again."

The padrone would have been still more incensed could he have looked
into Mrs. Hoffman's room and seen the little fiddler the center of a
merry group, his brown face radiant with smiles as he swept the chords
of his violin. It was well for Phil that he could not see him.

CHAPTER XVIII

PHIL ELUDES HIS PURSUER

Phil had already made up his mind where to go. Just across the river was
New Jersey, with its flourishing towns and cities, settled to a large
extent by men doing business in New York. The largest of these cities
was Newark, only ten miles distant. There Phil decided to make his
first stop. If he found himself in danger of capture he could easily
go farther. This plan Paul approved, and it was to be carried into
execution immediately.

"I will go down to the Cortlandt Street Ferry with you, Phil," said
Paul.

"I should like to have you, if it will not take you from your business,
Paolo."

"My business can wait," said Paul. "I mean to see you safe out of the
city. The padrone may be in search of you already."

"I think he will send Pietro to find me," said Phil.

"Who is Pietro?"

Phil explained that Pietro was the padrone's nephew and assisted in
oppressing the boys.

"I hope he will send him," said Paul.

Phil looked up in surprise.

"I should like to see this Pietr