top of the box, and began to hop
up and down in time to the music as the children went through the wild
contortions of the trescone. A crowd immediately gathered about them,
and the coins began to rain into Carina's tambourine.

When the dance was finished, Carlotta led the way to a booth in the
square, where hot macaroni was for sale, and here their hungry mouths
were filled with the first warm food they had tasted for several days.
They ate and were comforted. Then, leaving the market-place, they
passed through narrow streets and over little bridges spanning the
canals, until they reached another small open square in a crowded
portion of the city. Carlotta walked faster and faster as they
approached it, and the Twins had almost to run to keep up with her.

As they entered the square, a small dirty boy about Beppo's size
suddenly gave a shout. "It is Carina!" he cried, and, not noticing
Carlotta or the Twins, he seized the monkey in his arms and kissed its
little black face. Carlotta gave him a playful slap.

"Ecco!" she cried to the Twins. "Here we have the brave Giovanni! And
he cares nothing for his godmother! He loves only the little black
monkey! See, Giovanni! I have brought two playmates for you. They
were lost, and I have protected them out of charity. They will live
with us."

Giovanni stared at the Twins for a moment, then he ran out his tongue at
Beppo. "I can lick you!" he cried. Beppo stiffened with fury. All the
pent-up rage of the past weeks rose up within him, and here was some one
on whom he could legitimately wreak it! He dropped his bundles, rolled
up his sleeves, and roared, "Come on!"

Giovanni threw the monkey at Carlotta and instantly came on! A crowd of
ragged boys and girls gathered about them, and the fight began. It did
not last long, for Beppo had taken boxing-lessons along with his other
studies, and he met Giovanni's advance with a swift blow which sent him
spinning to the ground. Then he sat upon him until he begged for mercy,
while the crowd squealed with delight. Carlotta turned the organ and
the monkey over to Beppina, picked Beppo off the prostrate Giovanni, and
then, seizing the two boys by their collars, thumped their heads smartly
together.

"Ecco!" she said. "Now you have had your fight, you can be friends."
Loading them both with bundles, she marched them across the square to
the back door of a dilapidated house, with the crowd surging about them.
Here