me. Go on about your own business, quick.' At such talk the poor robbers,—I can just see them now—would run away like the wind. In case they were so foolish as not to run away, why then I would, anyhow, and thus the thing would end."
But Pinocchio did not finish his reasoning, for at that moment he thought he heard a rustling in the leaves behind him. He turned to look, and saw in the road behind him two evil looking black figures covered with coal sacks, and their faces masked by them, running toward him on tiptoe like phantoms.
"And here they are, actually" said Pinocchio to himself. Not knowing what to do with the four gold pieces he put them in his mouth under his tongue. Then he tried to run away. But he did not get a step. His arms were seized and he heard two hollow voices say, "Your money or your life." Not being able to reply on account of the money in his mouth Pinocchio made many bows and gestures in order to make his captors understand that he was only a poor marionette and did not have a cent in his pockets.
