t them charming, and it was true, as Carlotta had said,
that they brought in more money than Ugolone.

They were now passing through one of the most lovely regions in the
world, but its beauty failed to comfort them or reconcile them to their
lot. The rocky ramparts and blue horizon of the mountains were but
prison walls to them, from which they longed to escape. One night, as
they lay shivering in the straw, with Carlotta and Luigi snoring at the
other end of the van, Beppo cautiously nudged his sister.

"It sounds like Teresina," he whispered. "Don't you remember how she
snored that day we left home?"

"Don't," begged Beppina. "It makes me homesick."

"I never thought I could wish to hear Teresina snore," Beppo answered,
"but now it would be music in my ears." They were silent a few minutes,
and then Beppina--timid Beppina--put her lips close to Beppo's ear and
whispered, "Let's get out and run away."

"Where to?" Beppo whispered.

"Anywhere, _anywhere_ away from here!" said poor Beppina. "I'd rather
starve in the mountains than stay any longer. We could creep out
without waking them."

"It's awfully dark," said Beppo, "and we'll have to climb right over
them!"

"Oh, let's try," urged Beppina. They sat up cautiously and peered out.
They could just see a dark mass blocking up the open end of the van.
They struggled to their knees. The straw rustled, and they stopped
dead, until everything was still again. Then Beppo rose to his feet,
and, treading very carefully, took a step toward the end of the van.
But alas, he had forgotten the monkey! She slept beside her mistress,
and Beppo stepped on her tail! There was a scream as Carina leaped up
in the air, and lit on Beppo's shoulder, chattering furiously, and Beppo
instantly dropped down into the straw again.

"What's the matter?" said Carlotta.

The children could see her dark silhouette as she sat up and looked into
the dark interior of the van.

"Carina mia! What is the matter?"

"Lie down," growled Luigi. "She has had a bad dream. Go to sleep!"
The monkey leaped to Carlotta's arm, snuggled down beside her, and quiet
reigned once more. When the snores began again, the children had no
courage for a second attempt, and morning found things as hopeless as
ever.

They were now descending the eastern slopes of the Apennines, and Beppo,
remembering his geography, knew that they were getting farther and
farther from Florence. At noon that day,