"You know that, you who are of the profession, as they say.

Such ruffians would have knocked the young gentleman on the head to keep him quiet, and would have made off.

And besides, we should have found their tracks in the sand, and Nino would have smelt them." Nino pricked up one ragged ear at the sound of his name.
"He does not look very intelligent," observed the official.

"A clever dog might have been used to track the boy." "How ?" inquired Ercole with scorn.

"The footsteps of the young gentleman were everywhere, with those of all the family, who were always coming and going about here.