"Willing?" she cried. "Do you ask one who suffers with toothache if he is willing to part with the aching tooth? He is a rascal and cares nothing for me. Indeed I am willing to let you keep him. Yet--"

She hesitated. A softer expression came over her face.

"You must promise to be good to him," she added. "His mother was my friend. When she died she left him in my care. For her sake, you must promise to treat Tony well."

"I shall treat him as if he were my own," replied Guido, the Marionette Man.

CHAPTER II

TONY AND THE BALILLA

Several weeks pa.s.sed. Tony was living with Guido.

Each day the Marionette Man sent him to the hotels to beg. Each evening he had to help with the show. He set the tiny stage and dusted the theatre.

If he did not do his work properly, Guido would smile and say, "No supper tonight for lazy people!"

This would not have mattered so much to Tony if it had not been for Tina.

But when Tony did not eat, then neither did Tina.

The small sc.r.a.ps that Guido threw to the dog were not enough to keep her alive. So Tony always divided his meals with the friend he loved.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I DIE OF HUNGER!"]

Today, as usual, Tony, with his dog, trudged along on his way to the hotels. Once there, he stood outside of one and waited. Two foreign ladies appeared at the door. Immediately, tears gathered in Tony's eyes.

He ran up to them eagerly.

"Ah, dear ladies, I am a poor, orphan boy!" he moaned in Italian. Then he burst into English: "No mudder! No fadder!" he wailed.

The ladies looked at him pityingly. But just then the hotel manager came out.

"Go along!" he commanded Tony. "You are not allowed here. Run!"

He shooed Tony as if he had been stray chickens. Tony scampered a few feet away. When the hotel manager had gone, he again began to make mournful signs to the strange ladies.

But now they only laughed and shook their heads, for they knew what a scamp he was. So Tony laughed, too, and began to sing good-naturedly. A Naples street boy is like that.

The ladies drove off in a carriage and as they pa.s.sed they threw money to the rascal. You see, n.o.body ever took the trouble to explain things to Tony. Foreigners enjoyed his pretty acting, which only spoiled him.

For several hours Tony stayed around the hotels, dodging hotel managers, and crying his way into the hearts of strangers. Then, he started toward the place he called home, walking along the broad drive that faces the Bay of Naples.

Naples is built like a giant theatre stage. The sh.o.r.e is where the plays take place. The shining Bay is the vast blue audience.

Out, facing the sh.o.r.e, is the famous Castle of the Egg. Many stories are told about this historical building.

It was once the home of Lucullus, a Roman general who was very fond of eating.

One legend tells that the poet, Virgil, put an enchanted egg between the walls of the castle. So long as this egg remained in its place, the city of Naples was supposed to be safe.

But the real reason for the castle's strange name is, no doubt, its egg-like shape.

High up on a hill of Naples is a park of rare beauty. From here one looks down upon the island of Nisida. Like the Castle of the Egg, this island was once the home of great Roman generals. Today they are both prisons.

But let us go back and find Tony. He now turned into the crowded part of the city where the noise and the smells begin. He felt more at home there.

He stopped and bought a meal of fresh fish for Tina at a small stand.

Then he stuffed himself full of macaroni and candies. At last he had only a few pennies left.

A boy in uniform had been watching Tony. He was dressed in olive-green breeches and black shirt. He wore a small cap with a ta.s.sel on it.

He belonged to the Balilla, the Italian Boy Scouts. The Government is directing them in sports and work of all kinds. They are growing up to be strong and loyal to their country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I WANT TO HELP YOU," SAID THE BOY]

"h.e.l.lo," said the boy to Tony.

"Good-bye," said Tony to the boy.

He began to saunter off.

"Wait," said the boy. "I would like to speak with you."

Now, every young Italian hopes to join the Balilla. So, of course, Tony did, too. But how could a little beggar, who had hardly enough to eat, expect to belong to such a grand company?

Tony did not even want to talk with this modern son of Italy.

"I must go," he mumbled.

But the boy walked over to him and began to speak earnestly.

"I just noticed that you were very hungry," he said. "Why was that?"

Tony's eyes gleamed angrily. "Because I had eaten too much!" he snapped.

What right had this fellow to detain and mock him because he was poor?

"I mean no harm," said the lad. "I only want to help you. Do you know that you may join the Balilla if you want to?"

"I?" inquired Tony.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOYS OF THE BALILLA]

"Yes, you, or any other boy who wishes to join."