eet, he inquired: "Have you seen
anything of my little brother?"

"What does he look like?" inquired one.

"He is not quite so large as you. He had a fiddle with him."

"No, I haven't seen him. Have you, Dick?"

"Yes," said the other, "there was a boy went along with a fiddle."

This was true, but, as we know, it was not Phil.

"Did you see where he went?" demanded Pietro, eagerly.

"Straight ahead," was the reply.

Lured by the delusive hope these words awakened, Pietro went on. He did
not stop to play on his organ. He was too intent on finding Phil. At
length, at a little distance before him, he saw a figure about the size
of Phil, playing on the violin. He hurried forward elated, but when
within a few yards he discovered to his disappointment that it was not
Phil, but a little fiddler of about his size. He was in the employ of a
different padrone. He was doubtless the one the boy had seen.

Disappointed, Pietro now turned back, and bent his steps to the ferry.
But he saw nothing of Phil on the way.

"I would like to beat him, the little wretch!" he said to himself,
angrily. "If I had not been too late for the boat, I would have easily
caught him."

It never occurred to Pietro that Phil might have taken the cars for a
more distant point, as he actually did. The only thing he could think
of, for he was not willing to give up the pursuit, was to go back. He
remained in Jersey City all day, wandering about the streets, peering
here and there; but he did not find Phil, for a very good reason.

The padrone awaited his report at night with some impatience. Phil was
one of the smartest boys he had, and he had no mind to lose him.

"Did you find him, Pietro?" he asked as soon as his nephew entered his
presence.

"I saw him," said Pietro.

"Then why did you not bring him back?"

Pietro explained the reason. His uncle listened attentively.

"Pietro, you are a fool," he said, at length.

"Why am I a fool?" asked Pietro, sullenly.

"Because you sought Filippo where he is not."

"Where is he?"

"He did not stop in Jersey City. He went farther. He knew that you were
on his track. Did you ask at the station if such a boy bought a ticket?"

"I did not think of it."

"Then you were a fool."

"What do you want me to do?"

"To-morrow you must go to Newark. That is the first large town. I must
have Filippo back."

"I will go," said Pietro, briefly.

He was mortified at the name applied to him by his unc