She hunted until she discovered a way to find the spot.  It was not difficult, for she knew every foot of the mountains from long association.  But Beppi was not to be seen, nor was Garibaldi.  Lucia stopped, discouraged.  Fear and helplessness were getting the better of her, and she would most likely have given way to the tears she so despised had her eye not caught sight of a tuft of fur on the ground.  She seized upon it eagerly.  It was without doubt part of Garibaldi’s shaggy coat.

With a cry of joy she started off up the tiny trail that led higher up into the rocks.

“Beppi, Beppi!” she called, and stopped.  Still no answer, but she was not discouraged for the guns were making so much noise that she realized her voice could not carry any great distance.

The rain was coming down in earnest now, and it was hard to keep from losing her footing on the slippery rocks.  She stumbled on regardless of the danger, hoping against hope that she had chosen the right path, and that each step was bringing her nearer to Beppi.  Between calling and climbing, she was tired, and she stopped for a moment to catch her breath.

A sound, faint but unmistakable, reached her.

“Naa, Naa!”

Garibaldi was complaining about the weather, at no very great distance away from her.

In her relief Lucia laughed excitedly.

“Beppi, Beppi, where are you?” she shouted, and waited eagerly for a reply, but none came.  She looked puzzled and then Garibaldi answered her: 

“Naa!  Naa!”

The sound came from directly over her head, and she climbed up the steep rock as fast as she could.  Garibaldi was standing at the opening of a cave.  Lucia ran to her.

“Oh, my pet, I have found you at last.  Where is Beppi?” she cried.  Garibaldi did not exactly reply, but she stepped a little to one side, and Lucia saw Beppino curled up on a bed of dry leaves sheltered and snug from the storm, and sleeping quite as contentedly as he did on the mattress in the attic at home.

Lucia ran to him and shook him.  He opened his eyes, and a dazed look came into them, then he said: 

“Oh, yes, I remember, it began to rain and we were lost, your old crosspatch Garibaldi and I, so I found this nice little place, and I was going to pretend that I was a gypsy brigand, but I fell asleep.”

Lucia was far too happy to attempt the scolding that she knew Beppi deserved.  She picked him up in her arms, and hugged and kissed him, then she encircled Garibaldi’s neck and kissed her too.

“My darlings, I thought you were both lost.  What a terrible fright you have given me!  But we are safe now, and we will wait until sunrise to-morrow, and then we will go home,” she said happily.

“I saw the soldiers go away,” Beppi said, pushing her face from him as she tried to kiss him again, “and they looked so fine with their shiny hats.  It was while I looked at them that old crosspatch ran away.  I did have a chase, I can tell you, she had such a big start.”