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Beppi was delighted, and Lucia helped him on with it as he danced and hopped, first on one foot and then to the other. "I'm a sailor," he announced, "a real sailor! See the bands on my arm." "Fickle one," Lucia protested as she tied the flaring red tie, with loving fingers, "I thought you were going to be a soldier like our Captain." Beppi thrust his small hands in his trouser pockets.
Beppi was sound asleep, and she rolled him gently into the nest of leaves, then she listened again. The sound came again. "Rat, tat, tat." It was a sharp staccato hammering, muffled by the wall of rock behind her. She stood up and crept softly to the mouth of the cave.
But I, old Nana, have known them and their ways, and I say we must go at once." Lucia looked at the new light of determination in her grandmother's eyes, and realized with a shock of surprise that to protest would be useless. "Where is Beppi?" she asked. "I will go and find him." "With the goats," Nana replied. "Call him, I will go in and start packing."
Lucia spoke to him, but he did not answer; he was so exhausted that he was soon unconscious again. Lucia watched the east, and tried to imagine Beppi safe and sound in a town far away from this terrible din, but she could be sure of nothing. She remembered Roderigo's words, 'She is safe, and knew that he must have meant Maria.
Lucia was well enough now to go wherever she pleased, and after she had talked for a few minutes with Captain Riccardi, and made sure that Maria had not exaggerated, she went out of the convent with the intention of going into town. Some of the refugees had returned, but so far there had been no news of Señora Rudini, Nana, or Beppi, and she was growing anxious.
Beppi was asleep of course. Lucia's strong young arms lifted his little body out, and hugged and kissed him. Beppi woke up, and at sight of her he shouted with joy. It was a happy and excited family that walked through the town and down to the little white cottage.
Beppi stirred, one eye opened, and then with a sudden rush of memory he sat up and began excitedly: "I just this minute fell asleep, just this very second, truly, Lucia! I have watched the goats, oh, so carefully, and they have not stirred, see there they are only a little farther away than when you left.
She stumbled on regardless of the danger, hoping against hope that she had chosen the right path, and that each step was bringing her nearer to Beppi. Between calling and climbing, she was tired, and she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. A sound, faint but unmistakable, reached her. "Naa, Naa!" Garibaldi was complaining about the weather, at no very great distance away from her.
"You are not to go to sleep again, remember, and be sure and watch Garibaldi, or she will stray away and get lost." "And a good riddance too," Beppi commented under his breath. He did not share in the general admiration for the "Illustrious and Gentile Señora Garibaldi," the favorite goat of his sister's herd.
"There's nothing to be done that has not already been done," Nana replied as she sat on the edge of the green bed and folded her hands on her lap. Lucia nodded in satisfaction and turned her attention to Beppi. He had a new suit too, and the broad sailor collar on it was embroidered with emblems and stars.
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