needs a hard schooling; to lose comes first, and to laugh long after.

The dust Peter's feet had stirred settled down; and now, instead of
its faint bitterness, the sweetness of the evening hills stole about.
And over the still sea the white moon rose, glorious, triumphant, and
straight from her to Peter, cleaving the dark waters, her bright road
ran.

Peter went down into the little, merry town.

He and Thomas slept at an inn that night. Livio joined them there next
morning at breakfast. He said, "You were foolish to leave the hotel so
soon. I got a good sum of money. There was an English family, that gave
me a good reward. My music pleased them. The English are always generous
and extravagant. Oh, Dio, I forgot; one of them sent you this note by me.
He explained nothing; he said, 'Is he that was with you your friend? Then
give him this note.' Did he perhaps know you of old, or did he merely
perceive that you were of his country? I know nothing. One does not read
the letters entrusted to one for one's friends. Here it is."

He handed Peter a folded-up piece of notepaper. Opening it, Peter read,
scrawled unsteadily in pencil, "Come and see me to-morrow morning. I
shall be alone." E.P.U.

"He followed me to the garden door as I went away," continued Livio, "and
gave it me secretly. I fancy he did not mean his companions to know. You
will go?"

Peter smiled, and Livio looked momentarily embarrassed.