?" he asked
half playfully and half in earnest.

But Giusippe, who did not catch the banter in his tone, answered
seriously:

"Should I? Ah, senor, it is not for me to envy or be unhappy about that
which I may not have. Some day, perhaps, when I have made my fortune in
your country I can return to the old world and see its marvels. I must
have a little patience, that is all."

The mingling of sadness and longing in the reply touched Uncle Bob;
Jean and the young Venetian chattered on, but Mr. Cabot walked silently
ahead, deep in thought.

"Did I understand you to say, Giusippe," he asked at last turning
abruptly, "that you have no relatives in Venice?"

"None in all the world with the exception of the uncle in America of
whom I told you, senor."

Again there was a pause.

"Suppose I were to take you with us."

"What, senor?"

"Take you with us now, when we leave Venice."

"I do not understand."

"Suppose I asked you to go with us to France and England, and then
across to America."

"But I have not enough money, senor."

"I haven't much, either," Mr. Cabot answered, smiling kindly into the
boy's puzzled eyes. "Still, I think I could get together a sufficient
sum to pay your way until you got to the United States and found work."

"To go--to go with you now, do you mean, senor?"

"Yes. We leave Venice next week for France. You see, I like you,
Giusippe; we all do. And in addition to that you have done us a
service. But more than anything else I feel that, once started, you are
capable of making your way and doing well in life; all you need is a
chance. I have perfect faith that if I took you to America you would
make good. It would cost very little more were you to join us, and no
doubt you could help in many little ways during the trip. Do you speak
French at all?"

"Yes, some; but more German. It is nothing. Many travelers come to
Venice, and one must talk to them. Then, too, here it is not unusual to
speak several languages, because the countries lie near together, and
the people come and go from place to place. With you it is different; a
mighty sea divides you from the rest of the world."

"Despite all your excuses for us, Giusippe, it is quite true that we
Americans are as a rule pitiably ignorant about languages. Here is this
boy, Jean, who knows not only his mother tongue but French, German and
English besides. Isn't that a rebuke to us, with our fine schools and
our college educations? It