"Innocent souls are soon intimate," said the woman, as she
caressed both the boy and the dog. These good people gave the child
food and drink, and said he should stay with them all night, and
that the next day the old man, who was called Giuseppe, would go
and speak to his mother. A little homely bed was prepared for him,
but to him who had so often slept on the hard stones it was a royal
couch, and he slept sweetly and dreamed of the splendid pictures
and of the Metal Pig. Giuseppe went out the next morning, and the
poor child was not glad to see him go, for he knew that the old man
was gone to his mother, and that, perhaps, he would have to go
back. He wept at the thought, and then he played with the little,
lively dog, and kissed it, while the old woman looked kindly at him
