"We must get home to bed."

The Hunchback withdrew from the cart
unsteadily, and mounted his donkey. For a
moment he looked doubtfully up and down
the road, then he turned the poor tired animal's
head once more toward the village, and they
began to plod back up the slope.

"The Lord forgive me!" whispered Mother
Margherita piously. "I told a lie, and before
my children, too! But it was to spare a child
suffering, perhaps death. Surely, the Lord
who loves little children will forgive me this sin."

So the good woman mused, as, faint with
terror and gasping for breath, Gigi came out
from under her skirts. He handed back the
bag of silver, and gave a sigh of relief. The
little boys seized him rapturously.

"You are saved, Gigi!" cried Paolo.

"He will never find you now," said Giovanni.

"See, we are almost home! You shall come
and live with us and teach us how to tumble!"
cried Beppo, hugging his new friend closely.
But Mother Margherita interrupted him.