a day or two now that my mind is made up," the
Captain said, "it will take me quite awhile to return to my Company,
and I may have to wait in Rome for orders, so the sooner I am off the
better."

"Yes, I suppose so," Lucia replied slowly. "Oh, but how we will miss
you, I cannot bear to think," she added impulsively.

"Then you must write to me often," the Captain laughed, "I get so few
letters and I will treasure them. I will want to know just how you and
Beppi and Nana spend each day, and what tricks Garibaldi is up to."

"I shall tell you everything," Lucia promised, eagerly, "every tiny
little thing, and you will write back?"

"Yes, as often as I can," the Captain promised. He got up from his
chair and started to walk toward the house. When he was halfway up the
path Beppi dashed through the garden gate and ran to him.

"Oh, but I have had a fine morning," he declared, "you will never guess
where I have been."

"You do look excited," the Captain smiled, "it must have been a very
nice place, tell us about it."

"Then come back and sit down," Beppi insisted, taking his hand. The
Captain returned to his chair and Beppi perched on the arm of it.

"Now begin," Lucia said, "we are listening."

"Well," Beppi took a long breath. "This afternoon I was tired of
playing in the garden and I went out into the road. Nana was sound
asleep and did not hear me, and when I had walked a little ways I met
two boys; one of them was bigger than me and the other one was littler.
We said hello, and one of them asked me my name, and I told him, and
then the big one said he guessed I couldn't fight--" Beppi stopped and
turned two accusing eyes at Lucia, "that was because I had on these old
stockings. I told you, sister, that I'd be laughed at unless I went
barefoot, same as always."

"Never mind about that," the Captain interposed, laughing, "tell us the
rest."

"Well, I told him I could, and we did, of course, and I won," he
continued proudly, "and after that we were friends, and they asked me
if I'd ever been to the shore, and I said; not right to it, so they
took me. We went down a hill and pretty soon we were right by the
ocean, and the waves were coming in all frothy white on the blue water,
and I took off my shoes and stockings--"

"Oh, Beppi," Lucia protested.

"Yes, I did," Beppi repeated, "I certainly did and we had a fine time,
I can tell you, and here comes the exciting part. While we were on the
beach