THE JOURNEY CONTINUED
Rico had fallen asleep. He was awakened by the coachman, who wanted to help him from the wagon. Everybody had hurried away except the students, who came to Rico to bid him good luck for the journey and ask him to tell Stineli about them. Then with a merry "good-by" they too departed. Rico could hear them singing Stineli's song as they went.
"If we think not at all,
Can we ever be sad?"
The next moment found Rico standing in the darkness, without any idea as to where he was or what he should do. It occurred to him that he had not thanked the coachman for having taken him so far, and he wanted to do so before going away. The man and the horses had disappeared, and it was too dark to see where they were. Soon Rico detected a faint glimmer to his left; this proved to be the light from the lantern in the barn, and he could dimly see the horses being led through the door into the stable. Rico hurried to the place, and finding that the large man who carried the cane was standing in the doorway, apparently waiting for the driver, the boy waited there also.
The sheep buyer could not have noticed Rico at first, for suddenly he exclaimed: "What, you still here, little one? Where are you going to spend the night?"
"I don't know where," answered Rico.
"You don't know where! at eleven o'clock at night—a little one like you! What does this mean?" the man's breath nearly failed him in his astonishment, but he had no chance to finish his exclamation, for the coachman came out just at that moment, and Rico immediately stepped up to him, saying, "I forgot to thank you for bringing me so far, and I wanted to."
"Good that you did!" said the driver. "I was busy with the horses and forgot that I meant to hand you over to a friend." The coachman turned to the other man, saying: "Here, good friend, I intended to ask you if you wouldn't take this child with you down the valley, since you were going that way. He wants to go to Lake Garda, and he seems to be all alone in the world—you know what I mean."
"Stolen, perhaps," said the large man as he cast a pitying glance at Rico. "I have little doubt of his belonging to those who would do well by him if they had him. Of course I will take him with me." He motioned Rico to follow him as he bade the coachman good night.