uicy grapes means to spoil one's
clothes, so the farmer's wife took Edith and Rafael into the house and
dressed them like peasant children.

There was much laughing and shouting from the other boys and girls
over the sight of the two strange wine-treaders, and it reminded Edith
of something. "Doesn't the Bible speak of the singing and laughing
that go with the vintage?" she asked her mother.

"Yes," answered Mrs. Sprague, "there are many references in the Bible
to the vineyard and the vintage; and also to the fig trees, which seem
always to be planted in the vineyard."

"When I was learning in my Sunday-school lessons about the vine and
the fig tree, I never dreamed that some day I should be eating grapes
and ripe figs, and treading in the wine-press, as they did in olden
times," said Edith.

"It will be the best wine in the whole country," said the farmer, when
at last Edith was lifted out, her feet crimson with the blood of the
grapes.

"I must see where they put it," she said, and followed to the dark
wine-cellar, where the grape juice was poured into a tank and left to
ferment.

It was late in the afternoon when they were once more in readiness to
continue their journey toward Rome. The farmer's wife, who had told
them all her family history, in Italian, would have been glad to keep
them over night, but Mrs. Sprague shook her head.

"Tell her that the bambino is very cunning," she said to Rafael, "but
we must be far along on our journey to-night."

Rafael's heart sang again, "I am so glad to go!" Every moment spent in
the automobile was one of joy to him. He barely noticed the queer old
streets and ancient buildings of the towns through which they passed.
He cared more for the rapid motion of the car, and the sensation of
flying through the air; and besides, he knew well the customs of the
people in the Italian towns, and there was nothing strange to him in
the sight of men and women sitting at tables outside the cafes, or
wandering up and down in the public promenades.

But he chattered in gay delight over the country sights. "See the
haystacks!" he would cry, "and the golden pumpkins! and oh, the ears
of yellow corn!"

A small flock of geese ran into the road, hissing at the big red
automobile, and Rafael laughed gaily.

"You should not laugh at those geese," Edith reproved him. "No doubt
they are descendants of the sacred geese that saved Rome." Then after
a moment of silence, she added, "Saved Rom