〃Yes；　but　how？〃
  〃The　way　is　very　easy。　　Instead　of　returning　home；
  come　with　us。〃
  〃And　where　will　you　take　me？〃
  〃To　the　City　of　Simple　Simons。〃
  Pinocchio　thought　a　while　and　then　said　firmly：
  〃No；　I　don't　want　to　go。　　Home　is　near；　and　I'm　going
  where　Father　is　waiting　for　me。　　How　unhappy　he　must
  be　that　I　have　not　yet　returned！　　I　have　been　a　bad　son；
  and　the　Talking　Cricket　was　right　when　he　said　that　a
  disobedient　boy　cannot　be　happy　in　this　world。　　I　have
  learned　this　at　my　own　expense。　　Even　last　night　in
  the　theater；　when　Fire　Eater。　。　。　Brrrr！！！！！　。　。　。
  The　shivers　run　up　and　down　my　back　at　the　mere　thought　of　it。〃
  〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃if　you　really　want　to　go　home；
  go　ahead；　but　you'll　be　sorry。〃
  〃You'll　be　sorry；〃　repeated　the　Cat。
  〃Think　well；　Pinocchio；　you　are　turning　your　back　on　Dame　Fortune。〃
  〃On　Dame　Fortune；〃　repeated　the　Cat。
  〃Tomorrow　your　five　gold　pieces　will　be　two　thousand！〃
  〃Two　thousand！〃　repeated　the　Cat。
  〃But　how　can　they　possibly　become　so　many？〃　asked
  Pinocchio　wonderingly。
  〃I'll　explain；〃　said　the　Fox。　　〃You　must　know　that；
  just　outside　the　City　of　Simple　Simons；　there　is　a　blessed
  field　called　the　Field　of　Wonders。　　In　this　field　you　dig
  a　hole　and　in　the　hole　you　bury　a　gold　piece。　　After　covering
  up　the　hole　with　earth　you　water　it　well；　sprinkle
  a　bit　of　salt　on　it；　and　go　to　bed。　　During　the　night；　the
  gold　piece　sprouts；　grows；　blossoms；　and　next　morning
  you　find　a　beautiful　tree；　that　is　loaded　with　gold　pieces。〃
  〃So　that　if　I　were　to　bury　my　five　gold　pieces；〃　cried
  Pinocchio　with　growing　wonder；　〃next　morning　I　should
  findhow　many？〃
  〃It　is　very　simple　to　figure　out；〃　answered　the　Fox。
  〃Why；　you　can　figure　it　on　your　fingers！　　Granted　that
  each　piece　gives　you　five　hundred；　multiply　five　hundred
  by　five。　　Next　morning　you　will　find　twenty…five　hundred
  new；　sparkling　gold　pieces。〃
  〃Fine！　　Fine！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　dancing　about　with　joy。
  〃And　as　soon　as　I　have　them；　I　shall　keep　two　thousand
  for　myself　and　the　other　five　hundred　I'll　give　to　you　two。〃
  〃A　gift　for　us？〃　cried　the　Fox；　pretending　to　be　insulted。
  〃Why；　of　course　not！〃
  〃Of　course　not！〃　repeated　the　Cat。
  〃We　do　not　work　for　gain；〃　answered　the　Fox。
  〃We　work　only　to　enrich　others。〃
  〃To　enrich　others！〃　repeated　the　Cat。
  〃What　good　people；〃　thought　Pinocchio　to　himself。
  And　forgetting　his　father；　the　new　coat；　the　A…B…C　book；
  and　all　his　good　resolutions；　he　said　to　the　Fox　and　to　the　Cat：
  〃Let　us　go。　　I　am　with　you。〃
  CHAPTER　13
  The　Inn　of　the　Red　Lobster
  Cat　and　Fox　and　Marionette　walked　and　walked　and　walked。
  At　last；　toward　evening；　dead　tired；　they　came　to　the
  Inn　of　the　Red　Lobster。
  〃Let　us　stop　here　a　while；〃　said　the　Fox；　〃to　eat　a　bite
  and　rest　for　a　few　hours。　　At　midnight　we'll　start　out　again；
  for　at　dawn　tomorrow　we　must　be　at　the　Field　of　Wonders。〃
  They　went　into　the　Inn　and　all　three　sat　down　at　the
  same　table。　　However；　not　one　of　them　was　very　hungry。
  The　poor　Cat　felt　very　weak；　and　he　was　able　to
  eat　only　thirty…five　mullets　with　tomato　sauce　and　four
  portions　of　tripe　with　cheese。　　Moreover；　as　he　was　so
  in　need　of　strength；　he　had　to　have　four　more　helpings　of
  butter　and　cheese。
  The　Fox；　after　a　great　deal　of　coaxing；　tried　his　best
  to　eat　a　little。　　The　doctor　had　put　him　on　a　diet；　and　he
  had　to　be　satisfied　with　a　small　hare　dressed　with　a　dozen
  young　and　tender　spring　chickens。　　After　the　hare；　he
  ordered　some　partridges；　a　few　pheasants；　a　couple　of
  rabbits；　and　a　dozen　frogs　and　lizards。　　That　was　all。
  He　felt　ill；　he　said；　and　could　not　eat　another　bite。
  Pinocchio　ate　least　of　all。　　He　asked　for　a　bite　of　bread
  and　a　few　nuts　and　then　hardly　touched　them。　　The　poor
  fellow；　with　his　mind　on　the　Field　of　Wonders；　was
  suffering　from　a　gold…piece　indigestion。
  Supper　over；　the　Fox　said　to　the　Innkeeper：
  〃Give　us　two　good　rooms；　one　for　Mr。　Pinocchio　and
  the　other　for　me　and　my　friend。　　Before　starting　out；
  we'll　take　a　little　nap。　　Remember　to　call　us　at　midnight
  sharp；　for　we　must　continue　on　our　journey。〃
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　Innkeeper；　winking　in　a　knowing　way
  at　the　Fox　and　the　Cat；　as　if　to　say；　〃I　understand。〃
  As　soon　as　Pinocchio　was　in　bed；　he　fell　fast　asleep
  and　began　to　dream。　　He　dreamed　he　was　in　the　middle
  of　a　field。　　The　field　was　full　of　vines　heavy　with　grapes。
  The　grapes　were　no　other　than　gold　coins　which　tinkled
  merrily　as　they　swayed　in　the　wind。　　They　seemed　to
  say；　〃Let　him　who　wants　us　take　us！〃
  Just　as　Pinocchio　stretched　out　his　hand　to　take　a
  handful　of　them；　he　was　awakened　by　three　loud　knocks　at
  the　door。　　It　was　the　Innkeeper　who　had　come　to　tell　him
  that　midnight　had　struck。
  〃Are　my　friends　ready？〃　the　Marionette　asked　him。
  〃Indeed；　yes！　　They　went　two　hours　ago。〃
  〃Why　in　such　a　hurry？〃
  〃Unfortunately　the　Cat　received　a　telegram　which
  said　that　his　first…born　was　suffering　from　chilblains
  and　was　on　the　point　of　death。　　He　could　not　even　wait
  to　say　good…by　to　you。〃
  〃Did　they　pay　for　the　supper？〃
  〃How　could　they　do　such　a　thing？　　Being　people　of
  great　refinement；　they　did　not　want　to　offend　you　so
  deeply　as　not　to　allow　you　the　honor　of　paying　the　bill。〃
  〃Too　bad！　　That　offense　would　have　been　more　than
  pleasing　to　me；〃　said　Pinocchio；　scratching　his　head。
  〃Where　did　my　good　friends　say　they　would　wait　for　me？〃　he　added。
  〃At　the　Field　of　Wonders；　at　sunrise　tomorrow　morning。〃
  Pinocchio　paid　a　gold　piece　for　the　three　suppers　and
  started　on　his　way　toward　the　field　that　was　to　make
  him　a　rich　man。
  He　walked　on；　not　knowing　where　he　was　going；　for
  it　was　dark；　so　dark　that　not　a　thing　was　visible。　　Round
  about　him；　not　a　leaf　stirred。　　A　few　bats　skimmed　his
  nose　now　and　again　and　scared　him　half　to　death。　　Once
  or　twice　he　shouted；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　and　the　far…away
  hills　echoed　back　to　him；　〃Who　goes　there？　　Who　goes
  there？　　Who　goes。　。　。　？〃
  As　he　walked；　Pinocchio　noticed　a　tiny　insect
  glimmering　on　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　a　small　being　that　glowed
  with　a　pale；　soft　light。
  〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。
  〃I　am　the　ghost　of　the　Talking　Cricket；〃　answered　the
  little　being　in　a　faint　voice　that　sounded　as　if　it　came　from
  a　far…away　world。
  〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　Marionette。
  〃I　want　to　give　you　a　few　words　of　good　advice。
  Return　home　and　give　the　four　gold　pieces　you　have
  left　to　your　poor　old　father　who　is　weeping　because　he
  has　not　seen　you　for　many　a　day。〃
  〃Tomorrow　my　father　will　be　a　rich　man；　for　these
  four　gold　pieces　will　become　two　thousand。〃
  〃Don't　listen　to　those　who　promise　you　wealth　overnight；
  my　boy。　　As　a　rule　they　are　either　fools　or　swindlers！
  Listen　to　me　and　go　home。〃
  〃But　I　want　to　go　on！〃
  〃The　hour　is　late！〃
  〃I　want　to　go　on。〃
  〃The　night　is　very　dark。〃
  〃I　want　to　go　on。〃
  〃The　road　is　dangerous。〃
  〃I　want　to　go　on。〃
  〃Remember　that　boys　who　insist　on　having　their　own　way；
  sooner　or　later　come　to　grief。〃
  〃The　same　nonsense。　　Good…by；　Cricket。〃
  〃Good　night；　Pinocchio；　and　may　Heaven　preserve　you
  from　the　Assassins。〃
  There　was　silence　for　a　minute　and　the　light　of　the
  Talking　Cricket　disappeared　suddenly；　just　as　if　someone
  had　snuffed　it　out。　　Once　again　the　road　was　plunged
  in　darkness。
  CHAPTER　14
  Pinocchio；　not　having　listened　to　the　good　advice
  of　the　Talking　Cricket；　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Assassins
  〃Dear；　oh；　dear！　　When　I　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　the
  Marionette　to　himself；　as　he　once　more　set　out　on　his
  journey；　〃we　boys　are　really　very　unlucky。　　Everybody
  scolds　us；　everybody　gives　us　advice；　everybody　warns　us。
  If　we　were　to　allow　it；　everyone　would　try　to　be　father
  and　mother　to　us；　everyone；　even　the　Talking　Cricket。
  Take　me；　for　example。　　Just　because　I　would　not　listen　to
  that　bothersome　Cricket；　who　knows　how　many　misfortunes
  may　be　awaiting　me！　　Assassins　indeed！　　At　least
  I　have　never　believed　in　them；　nor　ever　will。　　To　speak
  sensibly；　I　think　assassins　have　been　invented　by　fathers
  and　mothers　to　frighten　children　who　want　to　run　away
  at　night。　　And　then；　even　if　I　were　to　meet　them　on
  the　road；　what　matter？　　I'll　just　run　up　to　them；　and　say；
  ‘Well；　signori；　what　do　you　want？　　Remember　that　you
  can't　fool　with　me！　　Run　along　and　mind　your　business。'
  At　such　a　speech；　I　can　almost　see　those　poor　fellows
  running　like　the　wind。　　But　in　case　they　don't　run　away；
  I　can　always　run　myself。　。　。〃
  Pinocchio　was　not　given　time　to　argue　any　longer；　for　he　thought
  he　heard　a　slight　rustle　among　the　leaves　behind　him。
  He　turned　to　look　and　behold；　there　in　the　darkness
  stood　two　big　black　shadows；　wrapped　from　head　to　foot
  in　black　sacks。　　The　two　figures　leaped　toward　him　as
  softly　as　if　they　were　ghosts。
  〃Here　they　come！〃　Pinocchio　said　to　himself；　and；
  not　knowing　where　to　hide　the　gold　pieces；　he　stuck　all
  four　of　them　under　his　tongue。
  He　tried　to　run　away；　but　hardly　had　he　taken　a　step；
  when　he　felt　his　arms　grasped　and　heard　two　horrible；
  deep　voices　say　to　him：　　〃Your　money　or　your　life！〃
  On　account　of　the　gold　pieces　in　his　mouth；　Pinocchio
  could　not　say　a　word；　so　he　tried　with　head　and　hands
  and　body　t