arcely believe what he
heard; but the faces of the two men were smiling, and they continued
to nod, and gesticulate, and repeat the word "Salerno." They looked
like two benevolent farmers, and Bob wondered how he could ever
have seen anything malignant in their very good natured faces.

Of course there was nothing to do now but to hurry away to his
friends. Yet Bob was not willing to take too abrupt a leave. He
remembered the old woman, and thought with a softened heart about
her emotion. He went back into the house, and shook hands with her
for good by. He even knew enough Italian to say "_Addio_." The old
creature was much softened and burst into tears. Bob gave her one
of his cuff-buttons as a souvenir, for he had nothing else to give,
and the cuff-button was an uncommonly elaborate affair; and he had
the satisfaction of seeing that the old woman took it as though it
was of inestimable value. He then went around among them all, shook
hands with all of them, from the slatternly woman down to the
smallest of the dirty children, and gave each one of them
something--to the woman, a pencil case; to one child, his pocket
knife; to another, a watch key; to a third, a shirt stud; to a
fourth, a memorandum book; and to the fifth, a handkerchief.

"Brigand" number two was going to accompany him, and it was now
evident to Bob that the delay which had taken place in his
restoration to his friends was probably owing to the fact that
they had to wait to procure bridles, or another donkey. It only
remained for him now to bid good by to "brigand" number one,
which he did with great earnestness, and cordiality, and fervor;
presenting him at the same time with his neck-tie, a very brilliant
piece of satin, which the Italian received with a great flourish,
and profuse expressions of thankfulness. Bob had several times
regretted his ignorance of the Italian language since his arrival
in the country, but never had his regrets been more sincere than
on this occasion. Had he been able to speak Italian he would have
made a speech then and there, and have invited them all, from
the old woman down to the smallest child, to come and visit him
and his friends either at Salerno, or at Naples, or in far-off
America. But alas! Bob's tongue was tied, and so the invitation
remained unuttered. He did what he could, however, and utterly
exhausted the whole language of signs in the attempt to express
to them his thanks, and his good wishes for their