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PINOCCHIO 151
“Drown!” shouted Pinocchio from a dis¬
tance, seeing himself safe from all danger.
‘Help me, dear Pinocchio! ... save me
from death!...”
At that agonising cry the puppet, who had
in reality an excellent heart, was moved with
compassion, and turning to the dog he said:
" But if I save your life, will you promise
to give me no further annoyance, and not to
run after me?”
" I promise! I promise! Be quick, for
pity’s sake, for if you delay another half¬
minute I shall be dead.”
Pinocchio hesitated: but remembering that
his father had often told him that a good action
is never lost, he swam to Alidoro, and taking
hold of his tail with both hands brought him
safe and sound on to the dry sand of the beach.
The poor dog could not stand. He had
drunk, against his will, so much salt water that
he was like a balloon. The puppet, however,
not wishing to trust him too far, thought it
more prudent to Jump again into the water.
When he had swum some distance from the
shore he called out to the friend he had rescued:
‘Good-bye, Alidoro; a good journey to
you, and take my compliments to all at home."
‘“ Good-bye, Pinocchio,” answered the dog;
“a thousand thanks for having saved my life.