ether the hundred and fifty francs. But it would take
time. In that case we should have to go, first of all, to Varses and see
Benny and give all the performances that we could on our way. And then
on our return we would have the money and we would go to Chavanon and
act the fairy tale, "The Prince's Cow."

I told Mattia of my plan and he raised no objections.

CHAPTER XXI

MEETING OLD FRIENDS

It took us nearly three months to do this journey, but when at last we
reached the outskirts of Varses we found that we had indeed employed our
time well. In my leather purse I now had one hundred and twenty-eight
francs. We were only short of twenty-two francs to buy Mother Barberin's
cow.

Mattia was almost as pleased as I, and he was very proud that he had
contributed his part to such a sum. His part was great, for I am sure
that without him, Capi and I could not have collected anything like the
sum of one hundred and twenty-eight francs! From Varses to Chavanon we
could easily gain the twenty-two francs that we were short.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived at Varses and a
radiant sun shone in the clear sky, but the nearer we got to the town
the darker became the atmosphere. Between the sky and the earth hung a
cloud of smoke.

I knew that Alexix's uncle was a miner at Varses, but I did not know
whether he lived in the town itself or outside. I simply knew that he
worked in a mine called the "Truyere."

Upon entering the town I asked where this mine was situated, and I was
directed to the left bank of the river Divonne, in a little dale,
traversed by a ravine, after which the mine had been named. This dale is
as unattractive as the town.

At the office they told us where Uncle Gaspard, Alexix's uncle, lived.
It was in a winding street, which led from the hill to the river, at a
little distance from the mine.

When we reached the house, a woman who was leaning up against the door
talking to two or three neighbors told me that Gaspard, the miner, would
not be back until six o'clock.

"What do you want of him?" she asked.

"I want to see Alexix, his nephew."

"Oh? you're Remi?" she said. "Alexix has spoken of you. He's been
expecting you. Who's that boy?" She pointed to Mattia.

"He's my friend."

This woman was Alexix's aunt. I thought she would ask us to go in and
rest, for we were very dusty and tired, but she simply repeated that if
I would return at six o'clock I could see Ale