Has not Filippo come home ?" "No." "I do not think he has run away," said the little boy.
"Why not ?" "I think he would tell me." "So you two are friends, are you ?" "Si, signore; I love Filippo," answered Giacomo, speaking the last words tenderly, and rather to himself than to the padrone.

He looked up to Phil, though little older than himself, with a mixture of respect and devotion, leaning upon him as the weak are prone to lean upon the strong.
"Then you will be glad to hear," said the padrone, with a refinement of cruelty, "that I shall beat him worse than last night for staying out so late." "Don't beat him, padrone," pleaded Giacomo, bursting into tears.
"Perhaps he cannot come home." "Did he ever speak to you of running away ?" asked the padrone, with a sudden thought.
Giacomo hesitated.

He could not truthfully deny that Filippo had done so, but he did not want to get his friend into trouble.

He remained silent, looking up at the tyrant with troubled eyes.
"Why do you not speak?
Did you hear my question ?" asked the padrone, with a threatening gesture.
Had the question been asked of some of the other boys present, they would not have scrupled to answer falsely; but Giacomo had a religious nature, and, neglected as he had been, he could not make up his mind to tell a falsehood.

So, after a pause, he faltered out a confession that Phil had spoken of flight.
"Do you hear that, Pietro ?" said the padrone, turning to his nephew.
"The little wretch has doubtless run away." "Shall I look for him to-morrow ?" asked Pietro, with alacrity, for to him it would be a congenial task to drag Phil home, and witness the punishment.
"Yes, Pietro.