“I’m sure of one thing,” said Beppo, as he munched his bread. “I’m not going to tell our story to any one after this. People would only think we were lying. We’ll find our own way to the villa, and earn our money as we go along. Padua is only about thirty miles from here, anyway.”
“Oh, Beppo,” said Beppina, much impressed, “how did you know that?”
“Geography,” said Beppo proudly. “You remember how I knew about Ravenna and Rimini, and, besides, the other day I asked a tourist to let me see the map in the guidebook. Padua is almost straight west from here. We can go away from the sun in the morning and toward it in the afternoon, and we can’t help running into it. We’ll dance in the villages as we go along, and when we get to Padua it will be easy enough to find the villa.”
Beppina had some secret doubts. She remembered how sure Beppo was about finding his way in Florence, but she didn’t say a word. She was willing to take any risk if only they could keep out of the clutches of Carlotta.
“Do you suppose they are hunting for us in Venice?” she asked.
“I shouldn’t wonder,” answered her brother, glancing at the sun. Then he chuckled, “I’ll bet they’re mad! I hope they’ll never find their old boats!”
“Let’s get away from here as fast as we can,” urged Beppina. “They might follow us, or they might send word to the police.”
“That’s true,” said Beppo. “We can’t be too careful.”
They had finished their breakfast by this time, and, taking their direction from the sun, set forth at once toward the west. Soon they were out among the suburbs. Then they passed stately villas owned by wealthy Venetians, and beyond that came into open country. It was much easier walking than it had been in the mountains, for the land was level, or gently rolling, the villages were near together, and the highways well travelled. Moreover, they had been hardened to much walking by their weeks of constant practice, and were able to trot along the road at a good rate of speed.
At noon they reached a village, and here they decided to replenish their little hoard of money, so, making their way to the piazza, they surrounded themselves with a crowd for whom they danced the trescone and sang themselves hoarse. They were just gathering up the few coins that were thrown to them, when Beppo saw a policeman approaching, and, not wishing to take any chances, the two children instantly disappeared like smoke down a side street, and out into the highway once more.