“Let him talk.  He is paid to grumble all day long.”

“And my mother?”

“Mothers don’t know anything,” answered those scamps.

“Do you know what I’ll do?” said Pinocchio.  “For certain reasons of mine, I, too, want to see that Shark; but I’ll go after school.  I can see him then as well as now.”

“Poor simpleton!” cried one of the boys.  “Do you think that a fish of that size will stand there waiting for you?  He turns and off he goes, and no one will ever be the wiser.”

“How long does it take from here to the shore?” asked the Marionette.  “One hour there and back.”

“Very well, then.  Let’s see who gets there first!” cried Pinocchio.

At the signal, the little troop, with books under their arms, dashed across the fields.  Pinocchio led the way, running as if on wings, the others following as fast as they could.

Now and again, he looked back and, seeing his followers hot and tired, and with tongues hanging out, he laughed out heartily.  Unhappy boy!  If he had only known then the dreadful things that were to happen to him on account of his disobedience!

CHAPTER 27

The great battle between Pinocchio and his playmates.  One is wounded.  Pinocchio is arrested.

Going like the wind, Pinocchio took but a very short time to reach the shore.  He glanced all about him, but there was no sign of a Shark.  The sea was as smooth as glass.

“Hey there, boys!  Where’s that Shark?” he asked, turning to his playmates.

“He may have gone for his breakfast,” said one of them, laughing.

“Or, perhaps, he went to bed for a little nap,” said another, laughing also.

From the answers and the laughter which followed them, Pinocchio understood that the boys had played a trick on him.

“What now?” he said angrily to them.  “What’s the joke?”

“Oh, the joke’s on you!” cried his tormentors, laughing more heartily than ever, and dancing gayly around the Marionette.

“And that is—?”

“That we have made you stay out of school to come with us.  Aren’t you ashamed of being such a goody-goody, and of studying so hard?  You never have a bit of enjoyment.”

“And what is it to you, if I do study?”

“What does the teacher think of us, you mean?”

“Why?”

“Don’t you see?  If you study and we don’t, we pay for it.  After all, it’s only fair to look out for ourselves.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Hate school and books and teachers, as we all do.  They are your worst enemies, you know, and they like to make you as unhappy as they can.”

“And if I go on studying, what will you do to me?”

“You’ll pay for it!”

“Really, you amuse me,” answered the Marionette, nodding his head.

“Hey, Pinocchio,” cried the tallest of them all, “that will do.  We are tired of hearing you bragging about yourself, you little turkey cock!  You may not be afraid of us, but remember we are not afraid of you, either!  You are alone, you know, and we are seven.”