THE DEATH OF GIACOMO Great was the astonishment at the Italian lodging-house that night when neither the padrone nor Pietro made his appearance.

Great was the joy, too, for the nightly punishments were also necessarily omitted, and the boys had no one to pay their money to.

There was another circumstance not so agreeable.

All the provisions were locked up, and there was no supper for the hungry children.

Finally, at half-past eleven, three boys, bolder than the rest, went out, and at last succeeded in obtaining some bread and crackers at an oyster saloon, in sufficient quantities to supply all their comrades.