reply. The afternoon wore on slowly and a bank of rain clouds hid the
sun. Lucia's confidence gave way to her first feeling of terror, and
Nana was growing impatient.

"Where can he be?" Lucia exclaimed. "I am frightened, he has been gone
so long."

Nana shook her head. "He was off after the soldiers, I suppose," she
replied. "He is always disobeying--no good will come to him and his
naughty ways."

Lucia's eyes flashed.

"He is not naughty," she protested angrily, "and he may be lost this
very minute. Anyway I am going to find him and I am not coming home
until I do. If you are afraid to stay here go to Maria, she and aunt
will look after you, and when I find Beppi I will meet you there."

Nana Rudini protested excitedly, but Lucia did not wait to hear what
she said. She ran out of the house and down the road towards the
footpath. She had no idea of where she was going, but fear lead her
on. Beppi, her adored little brother, and Garibaldi were lost, and she
was going to find them.

At the end of the road she paused and looked ahead of her. The sky was
dark with rain-clouds and thunder rumbled in the west, an echo of the
guns. Lucia took the path that she had taken early that morning, and
as she climbed up the steep ascent she called and shouted. Her own
voice came back to her from the flat rocks ahead, but there was no
sound of Beppi.