CHAPTER III
NIKI
Italy! When you hear the word do you think, as I do, of beautifulpaintings and music? Of organ grinders, macaroni, and marionettes?
The finest little marionette actors (or puppets) are made in Italy.Naples is where they have been most popular.
Today there are few left. Motion pictures have come to Naples as to everyother city in the world.
Guido's theatre was a small place with crude, wooden benches. Tony helpedGuido work the puppets. Mrs. Guido played the squeaky piano.
But the marionettes were really handsome. There were Kings and Queens invelvet and purple. Knights in armour.
THE MARIONETTES WERE VERY HANDSOME]
Tina performed between the acts. She amused the audience while the scenewas being changed.
She would walk in on her hind legs, a ruff around her neck. She wouldthrow kisses and nearly topple over backwards.
She would turn 'round and 'round in a sort of old-fashioned waltz. Shemight have been a white, furry merry-go-round but for the pink tonguethat popped out so frequently.
When she finished her part, she always ran straight to Tony. While heworked a puppet with one hand, he untied her ruff with the other. He knewshe disliked the stiff thing.
This afternoon the theatre was well crowded. It was Saturday. As Tonylifted Tina up on the stage, she turned and licked his face. Then, outshe waltzed and the people began to clap.
When the clapping stopped, a child's voice suddenly piped up, "Oh, it'sNiki! Papa, Papa, it's Niki!"
There was some laughter and whispering, and everyone turned to look.
Tina made her final bow and her part was over.
THE MARIONETTE THEATRE]
After the show, as Tony was putting away the marionettes, a gentleman anda little girl came to the back of the stage. They approached Guido.
Tony heard angry talk between the two men. However, it did not interesthim until he heard the girl say, "I know it is my dog! I want my dog."
Tony listened now. He heard Guido laugh nervously.
"That is absurd," said Guido. "The little lady is mistaken. Tina is mydog. She belongs to my show."
The gentleman raised his voice. "My daughter is not mistaken," he said."That is her dog!"
"It was stolen from us," added the little girl.
"We searched for it all over Naples but could not find it," continuedher father.
"I want Niki!" pleaded the child.
"You have stolen my daughter's pet," said the gentleman. "I demand itback!"
Now Tony entered the scene. He held Tina close. The little girl put outher arms and cried, "Niki! Niki! I want my Niki!"
"Her name is Tina," said Tony. "She belongs to Guido--and me."
THE BAY OF NAPLES AND VESUVIUS]
"That is not true," said the gentleman. "This Guido, your father, hasstolen our dog. If he does not give it back at once, I shall call thepolice!"
Guido looked afraid and Tony noticed it. He must think of a way to saveTina! With a broad grin the young beggar stepped up to the little girl.
"It is true that Guido stole your dog, Niki," he said. "But this is notNiki. You see, that was a long time ago and Niki died. Ah, poor thing!"
He wiped away a false tear and stroked Tina's head fondly.
"This is our own Tina," he added.
"Oh, Papa!" wailed the poor little girl. "Niki is dead!"
But the father was not so easily deceived. "Give me the dog," he said."I wish to see it more closely."
Tony started to draw back with Tina, but the man snatched her out ofhis arms.
"What you have told me is a lie," he declared. "This is indeed mydaughter's dog. I recognize her by the peculiar marking under herchin."
He glared angrily at Tony.
"You are a lying little scamp as your father is a thief!" he said.
Then, he took his daughter's hand and the two, with Tina, departed.
Tony stood like a figure of wax. He hardly heard Guido raging beside him.
"Now what shall I do?" stormed the Marionette Man. "I must have anotherdog. You shall steal one for me, Tony."
As he said this, he turned to face Tony, but the boy had vanished.
Tony had run out of the theatre after Tina and her owners. Now he stoodon the street, watching them as they stepped into an automobile.
As the car started, Tony sprang onto the back of it. He held fast.
This was his first automobile ride! It was not a pleasant one. It seemedto him, holding on with all his might, that it would never end. On, on,they sped. Where to, he wondered?
Tony had never been outside of Naples. But often he had read or listenedto tales of other parts of his country. He knew that Italy was a fineland.
The school textbooks told him that "Italy is blessed by God. It is strong,powerful, and feared."
He loved to learn all he could about it. He was proud of being an Italian.
Now the automobile had come upon the open road. Tony could see the Bay. Hecould also see the great volcano, Vesuvius, which towers over Naples.
It is a fire-mountain and smoke is always coming out of its top.
In olden days people believed that a lame blacksmith lived under theground. He kept a furnace burning to heat his irons. Hisname was Vulcan and from it comes the word, "volcano."
Tony had heard that this volcano, or fire-mountain, had often caused muchdamage. Villages had been destroyed when the giant spat fire and ashesto earth. Houses rocked and fell. Towns were buried.
But Tony was not thinking of this now. He was wishing with all his heartthat the car would stop. Until it did, however, he must remain at hispost. Tina was in that car! And where Tina went there went Tony!
The thoughts went racing through his head as the car raced on. The fatherof that little girl had called Guido a thief! Tony shuddered. Heremembered the time when the old woman had called him a thief. Howterrible it had made him feel!
ANNA'S HOUSE]
Thieves were bad men. Guido was a bad man. And they thought he was Tony'sfather! What an insult!
The car was slowing up. It stopped before a white house with trees and agarden surrounding it. The gentleman and his daughter, with Tina in herarms, got out.
CAPRI]
They went inside the house. Tony saw the front door close behind them.He slid down from the back of the automobile. He ran to the house andcrouched under a window. He could look right into a room.
He saw a sweet-faced woman greet the little girl and her father. Shekissed them both. Then she noticed Tina in the child's arms.
"Why, Anna!" she exclaimed. "It is your little dog that was lost!"
The girl named Anna laughed happily. She showed pearly teeth. Her wholeface lit up with joy.
"Yes, Mama, it is Niki," she said. "At last we have found her! I am sohappy!"
The father told how they had discovered Niki in the Marionette theatre.
"It was the Marionette Man who stole Niki away from us," he said. "Shewas performing on the stage."
"And, oh, Mama!" exclaimed Anna, "his little boy said that Niki died, andit wasn't true at all! That boy was a story-teller, wasn't he, papa?"
"He was a young rascal," replied her father. "Still, he had such anintelligent face. What a pity!"
Tony, under the window, drew closer to listen.
"The lad is already a clever liar and no doubt a beggar as well," Anna'sfather continued. "One day he will become a thief like Guido!"
Tony crouched lower and winced. "A thief like Guido!" The words had adreadful sound.
"I should like to train that boy," remarked Anna's father. "I woulddiscipline him!"
The gentleman looked very fierce as he said this. He frightened Tony,who hated discipline!
But if Tony had known exactly what he meant, he would not have beenfrightened. Anna's father had always wanted a son of his own. He wouldhave been very proud of a son.
TONY DREW CLOSER TO LISTEN]
He would ha
ve taught him to be a loyal Italian. For Anna's father was areal patriot.
Robert Browning, the poet, has said, "Open my heart and you will seeinside of it--Italy." If Anna's father had been a poet, he might havesaid something like this.
"Dinner is ready," announced Anna's mother.
Tony watched as the family left the room. He knew that they had goneinto the dining room. He waited patiently beneath the window untilthey returned.
When they came back, Anna's father eased himself into an armchair.
"Come, little Anna," he said. "I am going to read to you."
Anna crawled on to his lap with Tina clasped lovingly in her arms. Tinahad a puffed, happy look, as if she, too, had dined well!
Tony smiled to himself. He was going to hear Anna's father read stories.No one had ever read to Tony. He loved reading.
The night was warm. The moon shone. The window was open. Tony listened.
Would you like to listen, too?
Very well.
Wouldn't Anna's father be surprised if he knew about his big audience?Under the window is a poor Italian boy--Tony. Out in the great UnitedStates are other boys and girls--you who are reading this tale!
So be very quiet and don't make a noise for fear of disturbing Anna'sfather while he reads.
Let us crouch under the window with Tony!