had seen no one.
“‘That is very annoying,’ said the brigadier; for the man we are looking
for is the chief.’
“‘Cucumetto?’ cried Luigi and Teresa at the same moment.
“‘Yes,’ replied the brigadier; ‘and as his head is valued at a thousand
Roman crowns, there would have been five hundred for you, if you had
helped us to catch him.’ The two young persons exchanged looks. The
brigadier had a moment’s hope. Five hundred Roman crowns are three
thousand lire, and three thousand lire are a fortune for two poor
orphans who are going to be married.
“‘Yes, it is very annoying,’ said Vampa; ‘but we have not seen him.’
“Then the carbineers scoured the country in different directions, but in
vain; then, after a time, they disappeared. Vampa then removed the
stone, and Cucumetto came out. Th
