Stranica 158 [158]
140 PINOCCHIO
" Mammas know nothing,” answered those
bad little boys.
. Do you know what I will do? ” said Pinoc¬
chio. " I have reasons for wishing to see the
Dog-fish, but I will go and see him when school
is over."
" Poor donkey!” exclaimed one of the
number. " Do you suppose that a fish of that
size will wait your convenience? As soon as he
is tired of being here he will start for another
place, and then it will be too late.”
" How long does it take from here to the
shore?” asked the puppet.
" We can be there and back in an hour.”
“'Then away!” shouted Pinocchio, “ and
he who runs fastest is the best! ”
Having thus given the signal to start, the
boys, with their books and copy-books under _
their arms, rushed off across the field, and
Pinocchio was always the first—he seemed to
have wings to his feet.
From time to time he turned to jeer at his
companions, who were some distance behind,
and seeing them panting for breath, covered
with dust and their tongues hanging out of
their mouths, he laughed heartily. The unfor¬
tunate boy little knew what terrors and horrible
disasters he was going to meet with!...