Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/121

 for your breakfast to-morrow. Have we understood each other clearly?'

'Only too clearly! . . .' answered Pinocchio, and he shook his head threateningly as much as to say: 'You shall hear of this shortly!'

The four polecats thinking themselves safe repaired to the poultry-yard, which was close to the kennel, and having opened the wooden gate with their teeth and claws, they slipped in one by one. But they had only just passed through when they heard the gate shut behind them with great violence.

It was Pinocchio who had shut it; and for greater security he put a large stone against it to keep it closed.

He then began to bark, and he barked exactly like a watch-dog: bow-wow, bow-wow.

Hearing the barking the peasant jumped out of bed, and taking his gun he came to the window and asked:

'What is the matter?'

'There are robbers!' answered Pinocchio.

'Where are they?'

'In the poultry-yard.'

'I will come down directly.'

In fact, in less time than it takes to say Amen, the peasant came down. He rushed into the poultry-yard, caught the polecats, and having put them into a sack, he said to them in a tone of great satisfaction: