“That is only too true—­as a punishment.”

“Well, then, I will offer you the same conditions that we made with the deceased Melampo, and I am sure you will be satisfied with them.”

“What are these conditions?”

“One night in every week you are to permit us to visit this poultry-yard as we have hitherto done, and to carry off eight chickens.  Of these chickens seven are to be eaten by us, and one we will give to you, on the express understanding, however, that you pretend to be asleep, and that it never enters your head to bark and to waken the peasant.”

“Did Melampo act in this manner?” asked Pinocchio.

“Certainly, and we were always on the best terms with him.  Sleep quietly, and rest assured that before we go we will leave by the kennel a beautiful chicken ready plucked for your breakfast tomorrow.  Have we understood each other clearly?”

“Only too clearly!” answered Pinocchio, and he shook his head threateningly, as much as to say:  “You shall hear of this shortly!”

The four polecats, thinking themselves safe, repaired to the poultry-yard, which was close to the kennel, and, having opened the wooden gate with their teeth and claws, they slipped in one by one.  But they had only just passed through when they heard the gate shut behind them with great violence.

It was Pinocchio who had shut it, and for greater security he put a large stone against it to keep it closed.

He then began to bark, and he barked exactly like a watch-dog:  “Bow-wow, bow-wow.”

Hearing the barking, the peasant jumped out of bed and, taking his gun, he came to the window and asked: 

“What is the matter?”

“There are robbers!” answered Pinocchio.

“Where are they?”

“In the poultry-yard.”

“I will come down directly.”

In fact, in less time than it takes to say “Amen!” the peasant came down.  He rushed into the poultry-yard, caught the polecats, and, having put them into a sack, he said to them in a tone of great satisfaction: 

“At last you have fallen into my hands!  I might punish you, but I am not so cruel.  I will content myself instead by carrying you in the morning to the innkeeper of the neighboring village, who will skin and cook you as hares with a sweet and sour sauce.  It is an honor that you don’t deserve, but generous people like me don’t consider such trifles!”

He then approached Pinocchio and began to caress him, and amongst other things he asked him: 

“How did you manage to discover the four thieves?  To think that Melampo, my faithful Melampo, never found out anything!”

The puppet might then have told him the whole story; he might have informed him of the disgraceful conditions that had been made between the dog and the polecats; but he remembered that the dog was dead and he thought to himself: 

“What is the good of accusing the dead?  The dead are dead, and the best thing to be done is to leave them in peace!”