"Oh, do stay! Do play again! Play something else!" Then the woman stood
up, and came towards Rico.

She placed something in his hand, and at first he did not understand
what she wanted; but presently he remembered what Stineli had said, that
if he went to a door, and played on his fiddle, the people would give
him something. The woman asked him kindly where he came from, and where
he was going to; but he could not answer her. She then asked if he were
with his parents? He shook his head. If he were alone? He nodded assent.
Where he was going so late in the evening? Rico shook his head, to
denote uncertainty. A great pity took possession of the woman for the
little stranger; and she called to the boy who worked in the garden, and
bade him conduct the fiddler to the inn of the "Golden Sun." Perhaps the
landlord would understand his language, for he had been away in foreign
parts for a long time. She bade the gardener to say to the landlord that
she wished him to let the lad stay there over night, that she would pay
for it; and, in the morning, set the little fellow off in the right
direction towards his destination. He was so young,--"only a little
older than my boy," she added, compassionately; and also would the
landlord give the boy something to eat.

Again the child on the bed called out, "He must play again;" and would
not stop until his mother said, "He will come again. Now he must sleep,
and you too."

The gardener walked on in advance of Rico, who knew, however, what was
to be done; for he had understood what the woman said perfectly.

In about ten minutes they had reached the town. In one of the little
streets the gardener entered a house, and proceeded at once to the