excitement had begun.

"You have a passenger," said one, and Mommo stared at him, not
understanding.

"You have a dead man on behind!" yelled a small boy, standing at safe
distance.

Mommo began to swear, but one of the inspectors stopped him.

"Get down," said the man. "The carabineers are coming."

Mommo finished his swearing internally, but with increased fervour. The
small boy was joined by others, and they began to jeer in chorus, and
perform war-dances.

"There is a tax on dead men!" they screamed. "You must pay!"

"May you all be butchered!" shouted Mommo, in a voice of thunder. "May
your insides be fried!"

"Brute beast, without education!" hooted the biggest boy,
contemptuously.

"I'll give you the education, and the instruction too," retorted the
carter, making at them with his long whip.

They scattered in all directions, like a flock of cawing jackdaws that
fly a little way in tremendous haste, and then settle again at a
distance and caw louder than before.