his
hand, and did not seem to understand very thoroughly where he was. It
struck me that he looked a little like Coretti, in the face; but he was
redder. His father and mother kept their eyes fixed on the table.

In the meantime, all the boys from Borgo Po who were near us were making
motions to their comrade, to attract his attention, and hailing him in a
low tone: _Pin! Pin! Pinot!_ By dint of calling they made themselves
heard. The boy glanced at them, and hid his smile behind his cap.

At a certain moment the guards put themselves in the attitude of
_attention_.

The mayor entered, accompanied by numerous gentlemen.

The mayor, all white, with a big tricolored scarf, placed himself beside
the table, standing; all the others took their places behind and beside
him.

The band ceased playing; the mayor made a sign, and every one kept
quiet.

He began to speak. I did not understand the first words perfectly; but I
gathered that he was telling the story of the boy's feat. Then he raised
his voice, and it rang out so clear and sonorous through the whole
court, that I did not lose another word: "When he saw, from the shore,
his comrade struggling in the river, already overcome with the fear of
death, he tore the clothes from his back, and hastened to his
assistance, without hesitating an instant. They shouted to him, 'You
will be drowned!'--he made no reply; they caught hold of him--he freed
himself; they called him by name--he was already in the water. The
river was swollen; the risk terrible, even for a man. But he flung
himself to meet death with all the strength of his little body and of
his great heart; he reached the unfortunate fellow and seized him just
in time, when he was already under water, and dragged him to the
surface; he fought furiously with the waves, which strove to overwhelm
him, with his companion who tried to cling to him; and several times he
disappeared beneath the water, and rose again with a desperate effort;
obstinate, invincible in his purpose, not like a boy who was trying to
save another boy, but like a man, like a father who is struggling to
save his son, who is his hope and his life. In short, God did not permit
so generous a prowess to be displayed in vain. The child swimmer tore
the victim from the gigantic river, and brought him to land, and with
the assistance of others, rendered him his first succor; after which he
returned home quietly and alone, and ingenuously narrated his de