had　received　a　blow　in　the　stomach。
  With　that　kick　and　that　blow　Pinocchio　gained　everybody's　favor。
  Everyone　admired　him；　danced　attendance　upon　him；　petted　and　caressed　him。
  As　the　days　passed　into　weeks；　even　the　teacher　praised　him；
  for　he　saw　him　attentive；　hard　working；　and　wide　awake；
  always　the　first　to　come　in　the　morning；　and　the　last
  to　leave　when　school　was　over。
  Pinocchio's　only　fault　was　that　he　had　too　many　friends。
  Among　these　were　many　well…known　rascals；　who　cared
  not　a　jot　for　study　or　for　success。
  The　teacher　warned　him　each　day；　and　even　the　good
  Fairy　repeated　to　him　many　times：
  〃Take　care；　Pinocchio！　　Those　bad　companions　will
  sooner　or　later　make　you　lose　your　love　for　study。
  Some　day　they　will　lead　you　astray。〃
  〃There's　no　such　danger；〃　answered　the　Marionette；
  shrugging　his　shoulders　and　pointing　to　his　forehead　as　if
  to　say；　〃I'm　too　wise。〃
  So　it　happened　that　one　day；　as　he　was　walking　to　school；
  he　met　some　boys　who　ran　up　to　him　and　said：
  〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃
  〃No！〃
  〃A　Shark　as　big　as　a　mountain　has　been　seen　near　the　shore。〃
  〃Really？　　I　wonder　if　it　could　be　the　same　one　I　heard
  of　when　my　father　was　drowned？〃
  〃We　are　going　to　see　it。　　Are　you　coming？〃
  〃No；　not　I。　　I　must　go　to　school。〃
  〃What　do　you　care　about　school？　　You　can　go　there　tomorrow。
  With　a　lesson　more　or　less；　we　are　always　the　same　donkeys。〃
  〃And　what　will　the　teacher　say？〃
  〃Let　him　talk。　　He　is　paid　to　grumble　all　day　long。〃
  〃And　my　mother？〃
  〃Mothers　don't　know　anything；〃　answered　those　scamps。
  〃Do　you　know　what　I'll　do？〃　said　Pinocchio。
  〃For　certain　reasons　of　mine；　I；　too；　want　to　see　that　Shark；
  but　I'll　go　after　school。　　I　can　see　him　then　as　well　as　now。〃
  〃Poor　simpleton！〃　cried　one　of　the　boys。　　〃Do　you　think
  that　a　fish　of　that　size　will　stand　there　waiting　for　you？
  He　turns　and　off　he　goes；　and　no　one　will　ever　be　the　wiser。〃
  〃How　long　does　it　take　from　here　to　the　shore？〃　asked　the　Marionette。
  〃One　hour　there　and　back。〃
  〃Very　well；　then。　　Let's　see　who　gets　there　first！〃　cried　Pinocchio。
  At　the　signal；　the　little　troop；　with　books　under　their　arms；
  dashed　across　the　fields。　　Pinocchio　led　the　way；　running
  as　if　on　wings；　the　others　following　as　fast　as　they　could。
  Now　and　again；　he　looked　back　and；　seeing　his　followers
  hot　and　tired；　and　with　tongues　hanging　out；　he　laughed
  out　heartily。　　Unhappy　boy！　　If　he　had　only　known　then
  the　dreadful　things　that　were　to　happen　to　him　on　account
  of　his　disobedience！
  CHAPTER　27
  The　great　battle　between　Pinocchio　and　his　playmates。
  One　is　wounded。　　Pinocchio　is　arrested
  Going　like　the　wind；　Pinocchio　took　but　a　very　short　time
  to　reach　the　shore。　　He　glanced　all　about　him；　but　there　was
  no　sign　of　a　Shark。　　The　sea　was　as　smooth　as　glass。
  〃Hey　there；　boys！　　Where's　that　Shark？〃　he　asked；
  turning　to　his　playmates。
  〃He　may　have　gone　for　his　breakfast；〃　said　one　of　them；　laughing。
  〃Or；　perhaps；　he　went　to　bed　for　a　little　nap；〃
  said　another；　laughing　also。
  From　the　answers　and　the　laughter　which　followed　them；
  Pinocchio　understood　that　the　boys　had　played　a　trick　on　him。
  〃What　now？〃　he　said　angrily　to　them。　　〃What's　the　joke？〃
  〃Oh；　the　joke's　on　you！〃　cried　his　tormentors；　laughing
  more　heartily　than　ever；　and　dancing　gayly　around　the　Marionette。
  〃And　that　is？〃
  〃That　we　have　made　you　stay　out　of　school　to　come
  with　us。　　Aren't　you　ashamed　of　being　such　a　goody…goody；
  and　of　studying　so　hard？　　You　never　have　a　bit　of　enjoyment。〃
  〃And　what　is　it　to　you；　if　I　do　study？〃
  〃What　does　the　teacher　think　of　us；　you　mean？〃
  〃Why？〃
  〃Don't　you　see？　　If　you　study　and　we　don't；　we　pay　for
  it。　　After　all；　it's　only　fair　to　look　out　for　ourselves。〃
  〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃
  〃Hate　school　and　books　and　teachers；　as　we　all　do。　　They
  are　your　worst　enemies；　you　know；　and　they　like　to　make
  you　as　unhappy　as　they　can。〃
  〃And　if　I　go　on　studying；　what　will　you　do　to　me？〃
  〃You'll　pay　for　it！〃
  〃Really；　you　amuse　me；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　nodding　his　head。
  〃Hey；　Pinocchio；〃　cried　the　tallest　of　them　all；　〃that　will　do。
  We　are　tired　of　hearing　you　bragging　about　yourself；
  you　little　turkey　cock！　　You　may　not　be　afraid　of　us；
  but　remember　we　are　not　afraid　of　you；　either！
  You　are　alone；　you　know；　and　we　are　seven。〃
  〃Like　the　seven　sins；〃　said　Pinocchio；　still　laughing。
  〃Did　you　hear　that？　　He　has　insulted　us　all。　　He　has　called　us　sins。〃
  〃Pinocchio；　apologize　for　that；　or　look　out！〃
  〃Cuckoo！〃　said　the　Marionette；　mocking　them　with　his　thumb　to　his　nose。
  〃You'll　be　sorry！〃
  〃Cuckoo！〃
  〃We'll　whip　you　soundly！〃
  〃Cuckoo！〃
  〃You'll　go　home　with　a　broken　nose！〃
  〃Cuckoo！〃
  〃Very　well；　then！　　Take　that；　and　keep　it　for　your　supper；〃
  called　out　the　boldest　of　his　tormentors。
  And　with　the　words；　he　gave　Pinocchio　a　terrible　blow　on　the　head。
  Pinocchio　answered　with　another　blow；　and　that　was
  the　signal　for　the　beginning　of　the　fray。　　In　a　few　moments；
  the　fight　raged　hot　and　heavy　on　both　sides。
  Pinocchio；　although　alone；　defended　himself　bravely。
  With　those　two　wooden　feet　of　his；　he　worked　so　fast
  that　his　opponents　kept　at　a　respectful　distance。
  Wherever　they　landed；　they　left　their　painful　mark
  and　the　boys　could　only　run　away　and　howl。
  Enraged　at　not　being　able　to　fight　the　Marionette　at　close
  quarters；　they　started　to　throw　all　kinds　of　books　at　him。
  Readers；　geographies；　histories；　grammars　flew　in　all　directions。
  But　Pinocchio　was　keen　of　eye　and　swift　of　movement；　and　the　books
  only　passed　over　his　head；　landed　in　the　sea；　and　disappeared。
  The　fish；　thinking　they　might　be　good　to　eat；　came　to
  the　top　of　the　water　in　great　numbers。　　Some　took　a　nibble；
  some　took　a　bite；　but　no　sooner　had　they　tasted　a　page　or　two；
  than　they　spat　them　out　with　a　wry　face；　as　if　to　say：
  〃What　a　horrid　taste！　　Our　own　food　is　so　much　better！〃
  Meanwhile；　the　battle　waxed　more　and　more　furious。
  At　the　noise；　a　large　Crab　crawled　slowly　out　of　the　water
  and；　with　a　voice　that　sounded　like　a　trombone　suffering
  from　a　cold；　he　cried　out：
  〃Stop　fighting；　you　rascals！　　These　battles　between　boys
  rarely　end　well。　　Trouble　is　sure　to　come　to　you！〃
  Poor　Crab！　　He　might　as　well　have　spoken　to　the　wind。
  Instead　of　listening　to　his　good　advice；　Pinocchio　turned
  to　him　and　said　as　roughly　as　he　knew　how：
  〃Keep　quiet；　ugly　Gab！　　It　would　be　better　for　you　to
  chew　a　few　cough　drops　to　get　rid　of　that　cold　you　have。
  Go　to　bed　and　sleep！　　You　will　feel　better　in　the　morning。〃
  In　the　meantime；　the　boys；　having　used　all　their　books；
  looked　around　for　new　ammunition。　　Seeing　Pinocchio's
  bundle　lying　idle　near…by；　they　somehow　managed　to　get
  hold　of　it。
  One　of　the　books　was　a　very　large　volume；　an　arithmetic　text；
  heavily　bound　in　leather。　　It　was　Pinocchio's　pride。
  Among　all　his　books；　he　liked　that　one　the　best。
  Thinking　it　would　make　a　fine　missile；　one　of　the　boys　took
  hold　of　it　and　threw　it　with　all　his　strength　at　Pinocchio's　head。
  But　instead　of　hitting　the　Marionette；　the　book　struck　one　of　the
  other　boys；　who；　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　cried　out　faintly：
  〃Oh；　Mother；　help！　　I'm　dying！〃　and　fell　senseless　to　the　ground。
  At　the　sight　of　that　pale　little　corpse；　the　boys　were　so
  frightened　that　they　turned　tail　and　ran。　　In　a　few　moments；
  all　had　disappeared。
  All　except　Pinocchio。　　Although　scared　to　death　by　the
  horror　of　what　had　been　done；　he　ran　to　the　sea　and　soaked
  his　handkerchief　in　the　cool　water　and　with　it　bathed　the
  head　of　his　poor　little　schoolmate。　　Sobbing　bitterly；　he
  called　to　him；　saying：
  〃Eugene！　　My　poor　Eugene！　　Open　your　eyes　and　look　at　me！
  Why　don't　you　answer？　　I　was　not　the　one　who　hit　you；
  you　know。　　Believe　me；　I　didn't　do　it。　　Open　your　eyes；
  Eugene？　　If　you　keep　them　shut；　I'll　die；　too。　　Oh；　dear　me；
  how　shall　I　ever　go　home　now？　　How　shall　I　ever　look　at
  my　little　mother　again？　　What　will　happen　to　me？　　Where
  shall　I　go？　　Where　shall　I　hide？　　Oh；　how　much　better　it
  would　have　been；　a　thousand　times　better；　if　only　I　had
  gone　to　school！　　Why　did　I　listen　to　those　boys？　　They
  always　were　a　bad　influence！　　And　to　think　that　the　teacher
  had　told　meand　my　mother；　too！‘Beware　of　bad
  company！'　That's　what　she　said。　　But　I'm　stubborn　and
  proud。　　I　listen；　but　always　I　do　as　I　wish。　　And　then　I　pay。
  I've　never　had　a　moment's　peace　since　I've　been　born！　Oh；
  dear！　What　will　become　of　me？　　What　will　become　of　me？〃
  Pinocchio　went　on　crying　and　moaning　and　beating　his
  head。　　Again　and　again　he　called　to　his　little　friend；　when
  suddenly　he　heard　heavy　steps　approaching。
  He　looked　up　and　saw　two　tall　Carabineers　near　him。
  〃What　are　you　doing　stretched　out　on　the　ground？〃
  they　asked　Pinocchio。
  〃I'm　helping　this　schoolfellow　of　mine。〃
  〃Has　he　fainted？〃
  〃I　should　say　so；〃　said　one　of　the　Carabineers；　bending
  to　look　at　Eugene。　　〃This　boy　has　been　wounded　on　the
  temple。　　Who　has　hurt　him？〃
  〃Not　I；〃　stammered　the　Marionette；　who　had　hardly
  a　breath　left　in　his　whole　body。
  〃If　it　wasn't　you；　who　was　it；　then？〃
  〃Not　I；〃　repeated　Pinocchio。
  〃And　with　what　was　he　wounded？〃
  〃With　this　book；〃　and　the　Marion