ndles, and,
herself carrying the organ and the monkey, led the way across the
gang-plank to the dock. Staggering under their burdens, they entered
the city of Venice. Oh, if they could only have entered it with their
dear Babbo, or Mammina, how happy they would have been, for there, right
before their eyes as they walked, were all the wonderful things which
Beppo had learned about in his geography!

There were the canals with the gondolas flitting about on them like
black beetles on a pool. There were the great beautiful buildings with
their facades rising out of the water, and their back doors opening upon
narrow streets or tiny open squares. There were the glimpses of
blossoming tree-tops hanging over high walls, and of balconies gay with
potted geraniums and carnations in bloom. There were the beautiful
stone door-ways with gayly painted posts beside them, to which empty
gondolas were tied.

The air was misty and fragrant with sea smells, and in every direction
they looked their eyes were greeted with the lovely colours of the old
buildings, reflected in the water so clearly that it seemed as if there
were two cities, one hanging suspended upside down below the other. It
was so different from Florence, from Rome, from anything they had ever
seen before, that the children forgot even that they were hungry, and
went up the streets wide-eyed with wonder, absorbed in all these
marvels.

"Get on, get on!" said Carlotta crossly, behind them. "Your eyes will
pop out of your heads, and drop in the street if you stare so. Carina
is hungry, and so am I, and we must earn our dinner before we eat it."

Through one narrow street after another they made their way, until at
last they reached an open square fronting on the water.

"Here is the market," said Carlotta, depositing the organ in the middle
of the open space, and the children, sighing with relief, also dropped
their bundles and gazed about them. Drawn up to the water's edge were
many boats loaded with great baskets of fruit and vegetables. Merchants
swarmed about these boats like flies, and the produce was immediately
purchased and placed in stalls or booths around the edge of the square,
where people with market-baskets on their arms were buying their
provisions for the day.

It was a busy and crowded place, but Carlotta gave the children little
time to look. "Dance," she commanded, as she began to grind out a tune
upon the organ. Carina sprang to the