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Poor Cecco

“All right!” said Bulka. And being very drowsy, and tired out with the excitement of the day, he at once shut his eyes and went to sleep.

When he awoke the car had stopped again, and Poor Cecco and Jensina, one on each side, were shaking him violently to make him open his eyes.

“Oh, I thought it was morning!” said Bulka, as soon as he could speak. “Where are we? What are we going to do now?”

“Sh-sh!” said Poor Cecco. “Keep very quiet and follow us!”

Carrying the bundle, and giving a paw to Jensina, who was stiff and cramped from sitting so long on the running-board, he led them across the road and under a gate into an open field.

“I don’t see,” said Jensina, staring about her, “why you brought us here!

Poor Cecco had no answer to make, for he did not know himself. The field was immense and mountainous and very lonely, lit by a slender moon rising above the hillside. There were great mounds here and there, and twisting bushes that stood out black in the moonlight, like crouching beasts. Everything looked strange and rather terrible, so that even Poor Cecco’s courage began to fail him a little, and he wondered whether after all it wouldn’t be better to go back to the road. But here they were, and they must make the best of it, come what might. And while they