spoken to you of me?
Will you take me to him? Is he still alive? Answer me, for pity's sake:
is he still alive?"

"I left him three days ago on the seashore."

"What was he doing?"

"He was building a little boat for himself, to cross the ocean. For more
than three months that poor man has been going all round the world
looking for you. Not having succeeded in finding you, he has now taken
it into his head to go to the distant countries of the New World in
search of you."

"How far is it from here to the shore?" asked Pinocchio breathlessly.

"More than six hundred miles."

"Six hundred miles? Oh, beautiful Pigeon, what a fine thing it would be
to have your wings!"

"If you wish to go, I will carry you there."

"How?"

"On my back. Do you weigh much?"

"I weigh next to nothing. I am as light as a feather."

And without waiting for more Pinocchio jumped at once on the Pigeon's
back and, putting a leg on each side of him as men do on horseback, he
exclaimed joyfully:

"Gallop, gallop, my little horse, for I am anxious to arrive quickly!"

The Pigeon took flight and in a few minutes had soared so high that they
almost touched the clouds. Finding himself at such an immense height the
puppet had the curiosity to turn and look down; but his head spun round
and he became so frightened to save himself from the danger of falling
he wound his arms tightly round the neck of his feathered steed.

They flew all day. Towards evening the Pigeon said:

"I am very thirsty!"

"And I am very hungry!" rejoined Pinocchio.

"Let us stop at that dovecote for a few minutes and then we will
continue our journey, so that we may reach the seashore by dawn
tomorrow."

They went into a deserted dovecote, where they found nothing but a basin
full of water and a basket full of vetch.

The puppet had never in his life been able to eat vetch: according to
him it made him sick. That evening, however, he ate to repletion, and
when he had nearly emptied the basket he turned to the Pigeon and said
to him:

"I never could have believed that vetch was so good!"

"Be assured, my boy," replied the Pigeon, "that when hunger is real, and
there is nothing else to eat, even vetch becomes delicious. Hunger
knows neither caprice nor greediness."

Having quickly finished their little meal they recommenced their journey
and flew away. The following morning they reached the seashore.

The Pigeon placed Pinocchio on the ground and, not wis