His grandmother shook her head when Leonardo
appeared after one of his days of wandering.

`I know thou shouldst be whipped for playing
truant,' she said; `and I should also punish thee for
tearing thy clothes.'

`Ah! but thou wilt not whip me,' answered
Leonardo, smiling at her with his curious quiet smile,
for he had full confidence in her love.

`Well, I love to see thee happy, and I will not
punish thee this time,' said his grandmother; `but
if these tales reach thy father's ears, he will not be
so tender as I am towards thee.'

And, sure enough, the very next time that a
complaint was made from the school, his father happened
to be at home, and then the storm burst.

`Next time I will flog thee,' said Ser Piero sternly,
with rising anger at the careless air of the boy.
`Meanwhile we will see what a little imprisonment
will do towards making thee a better child.'

Then he took the boy by the shoulders and led
him to a little dark cupboard under the stairs, and
there shut him up for three whole days.

There was no kicking or beating at the locked