laughing, some calling, some were whistling, and some made a noise like a hen that had just laid an egg. In fact there was such pandemonium that you would have to put cotton in your ears not to be deafened.
In every open square canvas theaters had been put up, and they were crowded with boys from morning till night. On the walls of the houses there were sentences written in chalk or charcoal: "Long live playthings!" "We will have no more schools," "Down with arithmetic!" and similar fine sentiments, all very badly misspelled.
As soon as Pinocchio, Candlewick and all the other newcomers to this country had arrived, they joined the others and soon had made friends with everyone. So with games and amusements, the hours, the days, and the weeks passed like lightning. Who could have been happier than they?
"Oh what a delightful life this is!" cried Pinocchio, every time he met Candlewick.
"See! Wasn't I right?" asked his friend, "You did not want to come. Just think! You wanted to return to the Fairy's house and study! That you are free from all the annoy-
