"Eh, you rascal? what did you see?" asked the sailor, turning the boat-hook round and holding it so that he could rap the boy's knuckles with the butt end of it.
"There was the Count, who is Ruggiero's padrone, trying to kiss your signora's maid, and offering her the gold, and she—yah!" Another hideous grimace, apparently of delight, interrupted the narrative.
"What did she do?" asked Bastianello quietly. But he grew a shade paler.
"Eh? you want to know now, do you? What will you give me?" inquired the urchin.
"Half a cigar," said Bastianello, who knew the boy's vicious tastes, and forthwith produced the bribe from his cap, holding it up for the other to see.
"What did she do? She threw down the gold and called him an infamous liar to his face. A nice padrone Ruggiero has, who is called a liar and an infamous one by serving maids. Well, give me the cigar."
"Take it," said the sailor, rising and reaching out.
The urchin stuck it between his teeth, nodded his thanks, lowered himself gently into the water so as not to wet it, and swam cautiously to the breakwater, holding his head in the air.
Bastianello sat down again and continued to smoke his pipe. There was a happy look in his bright blue eyes which had not been there before.