ng. "Come," she said
crossly, as she set up the forked sticks for the kettle, "bestir
yourselves, lazy ones! We are poor people. Do you think we can afford
to feed you and wait upon you like servants besides? To-day there must
be no more snivelling and whining. Beppo, take the pail and fetch
water. You, Beppina, gather sticks for the fire."

Her wheedling manner was now quite gone. Instead she gave her orders
with such a threatening look that the children trembled with fear as
they hastened to obey. At a little distance from the spot where they
were encamped, a stream, fed by a mountain spring, gushed forth from a
pile of rocks, and Beppo, seizing the pail, plunged into the dark pine
woods to find it. Beppina followed, and the instant they found
themselves alone in the forest, the two hid behind a tree and held a
hurried consultation.

"Listen, cocca mia," whispered Beppo. "I have thought this all out.
They do not mean to take us back, ever! They will keep us like slaves
to work for them! If we want to see our home again, we must obey
everything they say, no matter how hard. Then some day, when they
aren't watching, we will run away. Only not in these mountains! We
should only die of hunger and be eaten by the wolves."

Beppina shuddered. "Oh, Beppo," she sobbed, "there is a lump in my
throat as big as an egg! I cannot swallow it. When I think of Mammina,
it seems to me I shall die!"

Beppo gave her a little shake. "But you _must_ be brave," he said.
"Every day we will have a word together, and soon our chance will come."

"I'll try, Beppo," said Beppina, gulping down her sobs.

"Good girl!" said Beppo, patting her approvingly, though his own lips
trembled and his voice shook. "Don't you remember how it is in the
fairy tales? The prince _always_ kills the giants and dragons if only
he isn't afraid, even if he has to pass through enchanted forests."

Beppina looked fearfully over her shoulder. "Oh, Beppo," she gasped, "I
didn't think of it before, but now I'm sure. This _is_ an enchanted
forest, and Carlotta is a witch woman! We must pray always to the Holy
Virgin to protect us. Promise me you will!"

"I promise," said Beppo solemnly; "and don't you forget about the prince
either."

Just then they heard Carlotta's voice shouting at them, and, leaping
apart, they fled to do their errands.

When breakfast had been eaten, and the animals fed, Luigi lit his pipe
and stretched out on the g