Pinocchio, not having listened to the good adviceof the Talking Cricket, falls into the hands of the Assassins "Dear, oh, dear! When I come to think of it," said theMarionette to himself, as he once more set out on hisjourney, "we boys are really very unlucky. Everybodyscolds us, everybody gives us advice, everybody warns us.

　　If we were to allow it, everyone would try to be fatherand mother to us; everyone, even the Talking Cricket.

　　Take me, for example. Just because I would not listen tothat bothersome Cricket, who knows how many misfortunesmay be awaiting me! Assassins indeed! At leastI have never believed in them, nor ever will. To speaksensibly, I think assassins have been invented by fathersand mothers to frighten children who want to run awayat night. And then, even if I were to meet them onthe road, what matter? I'll just run up to them, and say,`Well, signori, what do you want? Remember that youcan't fool with me! Run along and mind your business.'

　　At such a speech, I can almost see those poor fellowsrunning 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 thoughthe heard a slight rustle among the leaves behind him.

　　He turned to look and behold, there in the darknessstood two big black shadows, wrapped from head to footin black sacks. The two figures leaped toward him assoftly as if they were ghosts.

　　"Here they come!" Pinocchio said to himself, and,not knowing where to hide the gold pieces, he stuck allfour 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, Pinocchiocould not say a word, so he tried with head and handsand body to show, as best he could, that he was only apoor Marionette without a penny in his pocket.

　　"Come, come, less nonsense, and out with your money!"cried the two thieves in threatening voices.

　　Once more, Pinocchio's head and hands said, "I haven'ta penny.""Out with that money or you're a dead man," said thetaller of the two Assassins.

　　"Dead man," repeated the other.

　　"And after having killed you, we will kill your father also.""Your father also!""No, no, no, not my Father!" cried Pinocchio, wild with terror;but as he screamed, the gold pieces ............