“Thank you, squire. You’re a gentleman. You’ll find Amos Sanderson a true friend, that’ll stand by you through thick and thin. If we are attacked by bandits, he won’t run away and leave you in the lurch.”
“Bandits? Surely there is no danger of meeting any of them?”
“Well, squire, I wish there wasn’t, but I don’t feel certain. Only last week a couple of gentlemen were overhauled, and had to pay a good stiff sum to get away.”
“I supposed the bandits had all been driven out of the country.”
“That’s where you are mistaken. There’s people everywhere that find it easier and more agreeable to make money by taking it than by earning it, and I guess Italy has her fair share of such gentry. I’ll tell you a little secret. I quarreled with my vetturino on purpose. His face was a villainous one, and I shouldn’t be at all surprised if he were in league with some of the bandits.”
“I have heard of such things.”
“Some of these vetturinos” (Mr. Sanderson was not aware that he should have said vetturini) “have brothers or cousins among the bandits and play into their hands. I guess mine was one of that kind.”
“Our vetturino Pasquale seems to be an honest sort of fellow. I should not suspect him of leading us into a trap.”