he
embrace of a powerful grasp, from which I had nearly succeeded in freeing
myself, when the arms which were clasping me were reinforced by several
more pair, and I felt a rope being passed round my body.

"All right, signors!" I exclaimed; "I yield to superior numbers. You
need not pull so hard; let me get up, and I promise to go with you
quietly." And by this time I had turned sufficiently on my back to see
that four men were engaged in tying me up.

"Tie his elbows together, and let him get up," said one; "he is not
armed. Here, Giuseppe, carry his stick and paint-box, while I feel his
pockets. _Corpo di Baccho_! twelve _bajocchi_," he exclaimed, producing
those copper coins with an air of profound disgust. "It is to be hoped
he is worth more to his friends. Now, young man, trudge, and remember
that the first sign you make of attempting to run away, means four
bullets through you."

As I did not anticipate any real danger, and as a prolonged detention was
a matter of no consequence to a man without an occupation, I stepped
forward with a light heart, rather pleased than otherwise with
anticipations of the brigand's cave, and turning over in my mind whether
or not I should propose to join the band.

We had walked an hour, and it had become dark, when we turned off the
road, up a narrow path that led between rocky sides to a glade, at the
extremity of which, under an overhanging ledge, was a small cottage, with
what seemed to be a patch of garden in front.

"Ho! Anita!" called out the man who appeared to be the leader of the
band; "open! We have brought a friend to supper, who will require a
night's lodgings."

An old woman with a light appeared, and over her shoulder, to my delight,
I saw the face I had asked to be allowed to paint so shortly before. I
was about to recognise her with an exclamation, when I saw a hurried
motion of her finger to her lip, which looked a natural gesture to the
casual observer, but which I construed into a sign of prudence.

"Where did you pick him up, Croppo?" she asked carelessly. "He ought to
be worth something."

"Just twelve _bajocchi_," he answered with a sneering laugh. "Come,
_amico mio_, you will have to give us the names of some of your friends."

"I am tolerably intimate with his Holiness the Pope, and I have a bowing
acquaintance with the King of Naples, whom may God speedily restore to
his own," I replied in a light and airy fashion, which seemed exceedin