"Did I hear a noise outside?" asked Anna's father.

Anna hugged Tina. "It must have been a little mama animal putting its babies to bed," she said.

Her father sighed. Some day Anna would be a little mama herself. That was what Mussolini wanted all of Italy's women to be.

But Anna's father would so have liked a son. One who would be more interested in the Balilla than in "little mama animals."

Yet he loved his daughter very dearly. He now kissed her dark curls as he said, "It is time for bed, mia cara (my dear). Tomorrow night more stories."

Anna sat up in his arms. Tina awoke and blinked.

"Before I go to bed, I must put Niki to bed, too," said Anna.

Her father answered, "Then we must make a house for her."

Tony saw him open a chest of drawers and take out some curious things.

"Now," he said to his daughter, "Come into the back garden, and we shall see what kind of house-builder I am!"

Tony watched them leave the room and saw a light switch on in the hallway. Then the back door opened. Father, daughter, and dog went into the garden.

They found an old crate with the top missing. They covered it with what appeared to be a fancy tablecover. They tied the little dog securely to the side.

"There!" said Anna's father. "It looks like a tent on the desert. Niki will feel like an Arabian Princess!"

Anna stooped down and caressed her pet.

"Felicissima notte, Niki," said Anna. This meant "Happiest night, Niki," and it is what the Italians say for "Good-night."

When Anna and her father had left, Tony ran over to the kennel-tent. Tina nearly wagged herself to pieces with joy. Tony sank down beside her. He buried his head in her soft hair.

"Ah, Tina mia (my Tina)!" he said. "I thought they had taken you from me forever! But I have found you again."

He started to untie the dog. He would run away with her. Far away! Never back to Guido! Guido was a thief. A man who stole little dogs!

Then, suddenly, Tony remembered that he, too, was about to steal a little dog! He, too, would be a thief if he did that. Tina did not belong to him. She belonged to little Anna.

But how could he bear to leave Tina? A tear ran down his cheek. Tina licked it sadly. She seemed to know what he was thinking about.

How he longed to snuggle up close to the little dog and go fast asleep. Just as he had done every night since he went to live with Guido.

Why did Anna have to love Tina, too?

He would stay. Just tonight. He would crawl into Tina's tent with her. In the morning he could decide what to do. He was so sleepy now.

He yawned, brushed his tears away, and wriggled into the tent. He curled up in there, with Tina in his arms.

But just as sleep came creeping over him, a sound was heard in the garden. Tony gave a start and opened his eyes. Tina gave a low growl.

Tony looked out and saw a white figure approaching the tent. It was Anna. She was coming back to see her new-found Niki once more.

She would find Tony there. She would tell her father! What should he do? His heart began to thump. He lay quite still.

"Niki!" whispered Anna, softly.

Silence.

"Niki!" repeated Anna. "I have come to kiss you good-night. Here, Niki!"

She bent down in front of the tent and looked in. It was dark inside. Tony lay flat on the floor and kept very quiet.

Anna put her hand inside the tent and felt for her pet. Tina tried to hide from the hand, but it found her and lifted her out tenderly.

Anna caressed the dog and spoke gently to her.

"Now, Niki," she said. "You shall go back to bed and mama will cover you up."

She had brought with her a doll's blanket. She put Tina back into the tent and tried to make her lie down flat. She could do this so easily with her dolls.

But, somehow, Tina was different. Tina did not want to lie down flat! The real reason for this was because Anna was spreading Tina on Tony's face!

The poor dog struggled and kicked. The poor boy tried his best to lie still and make no noise. But would you enjoy a dog plastered upon your face?

So Tony wriggled. He snorted. He sneezed.

Anna saw. She heard. She started and gave a little cry. Tony's head came out of the tent like a turtle's head coming out of its shell.

"Hush!" said Tony.

Anna drew back. "Who are you?" she gasped.

"I'm Tony," he replied. "Please let me stay here with Tina tonight. Tomorrow I'll go away."

Then Anna recognized him. "Oh," she exclaimed. "You are that naughty Marionette boy who told a lie! I am going to call my father!"

She turned toward the house but Tony quickly caught her arm.

"No, no!" he pleaded. "I mean no harm. I love the little dog. Let me stay. Only one night. Do not tell your father—please!"

In the moonlight Anna could see that tears filled his eyes. She began to feel sorry for him.

"Are you a very poor little boy?" she asked, innocently.

"Oh, yes, very, very poor!" he moaned. "I have no home. No mother. No father. Everyone is cruel to me. The little dog was my only friend, and now you have taken her from me."

Tony was born with the Italian gift for beautiful acting. He now acted his best for Anna. While some of his pitiful tale was true, some was sprinkled with the fairy dust of fancy.

"Every morning Guido beats me," he made up. "He uses a big stick. And when he stops beating me, he makes me sing to him. Then, all day long he feeds me bird-seed mixed with soap and nothing else!"

Anna's gentle eyes grew wider and wider, her tender heart softer and softer.

Tony warmed to his work. His success encouraged him. He began to gesture with his arms. He began to invent wild tales.

"Often I fall upon the streets because I am so hungry," he continued. "When it rains, Guido makes me lie outside the whole night through.

"One morning, when I awoke, I found myself in a pool of water. I had to swim all the way home!"

The little girl's lip began to tremble. This gave Tony added courage. He drew a deep breath. His style improved.

"And once I was thrown over a cliff. Lions came prowling...."

He stopped, for little Anna had begun to cry.

"Oh, you poor boy!" she sobbed. "I am so sorry for you! I shall tell my father and mother. They will take care of you."

"No, you must not do that," said Tony, quickly. "If your father knows I am here, he will discipline me!"

"But my father is good," said Anna.

"That is why he will discipline me," replied Tony. "Because I am bad."

Now, to a very little girl like Anna, that seemed sensible enough. She believed what Tony told her. She even believed that her father might not be kind to the beggar boy. Often her father was very severe.

So she promised that she would not tell.

"You may stay here every night, poor little boy," she said. "I will bring food and leave it for you in a dish. I will put a soft cushion inside the tent. I will never tell my father that you are here."

"Ah, grazie signorina (thank you, Miss)," said Tony, charmingly. He smiled and showed his white teeth. "How kind you are! And will you also put some candy on the dish?"

"Yes, I will, poor little boy," she answered. "What kind do you like?"

Tony thought a moment. Then he replied, "Torrone." (This is the finest and most expensive Italian candy.)

Anna promised to leave some torrone. Tony bent low and kissed her hand as he had seen the marionettes do in romantic plays.

"Felicissima notte, bella signorina! (Good-night, beautiful Miss!)" he murmured.

Again his play acting and falsehoods had brought him success! He did not even know that he had done anything wrong. Poor neglected little Tony!

CHAPTER VI