panting for breath . .. he could do no more,
and the shore was still far off.
He swam until he had no breath left; then
he turned his head to Geppetto and said in
broken words:
"Papa 4. help men, iT a dye) ig.
The father and son were on the point of
drowning when they heard a voice like a guitar
out of tune saying:
‘Who is it that is dying?”
“It is I, and my poor father!...
" I know that voice! You are Pinocchio!”
“Precisely: and you$ ” |
" TIT am the Tunny, your prison companion
in the body of the Dog-fish.”
“And how did you manage to escape? ”
" I followed your example. You showed
me the road, and I escaped after you.”
“'Tunny, you have arrived at the right mo¬
ment! I implore you to help us, or we are
lost.”
“Willingly and with all my heart. You
must, both of you, take hold of my tail and
leave me to guide you. I will take you on shore
in four minutes. "
Geppetto and Pinocchio, as I need not tell
you, accepted the offer at once; but instead of
holding on by his tail they thought it would be