Though he was suffering from the brutal blows he had received, the thought of the punishment and suffering of Giacomo affected him more deeply than his own.

As I have said, the two boys came from the same town in southern Italy.

They had known each other almost from infancy, and something of a fraternal feeling had grown up between them.

In Phil's case, since he was the stronger, it was accompanied by the feeling that he should be a protector to the younger boy, who, on his side, looked up to Phil as stronger and wiser than himself.

Though only a boy of twelve, what had happened led Phil to think seriously of his position and prospects.