"Where did you see him?" "I saw him yesterday at the door of his house." "And what was he doing?" "He was in his shirt-sleeves and shivering with cold." "Poor papa! But that is over; for the future he shall shiver no more!" "Why?" "Because I have become a gentleman." "A gentleman--you!" said the Fox, and he began to laugh rudely and scornfully. The Cat also began to laugh, but to conceal it she combed her whiskers with her forepaws. [Illustration: Splash! Splash! They fell Into the Very Middle of the Ditch] "There is little to laugh at," cried Pinocchio angrily. "I am really sorry to make your mouth water, but if you know anything about it, you can see that these are five gold pieces." And he pulled out the money that Fire-Eater had given him. At the jingling of the money the Fox, with an involuntary movement, stretched out the paw that seemed crippled, and the Cat opened wide two eyes that looked like two green lanterns. It is true that she shut them again, and so quickly that Pinocchio observed nothing. "And now," asked the Fox, "what are you going to do with all that money?" "First of all," answered the puppet, "I intend to buy a new coat for my papa, made of gold and silver, and with diamond buttons; and then I will buy a spelling-book for myself." "For yourself?" "Yes indeed, for I wish to go to school to study in earnest." "Look at me!" said the Fox. "Through my foolish passion for study I have lost a leg." "Look at me!" said the Cat. "Through my foolish passion for study I have lost the sight of both my eyes." At that moment a white Blackbird, that was perched on the hedge by the road, began his usual song, and said: "Pinocchio, don't listen to the advice of bad companions; if you do you will repent it!" Poor Blackbird! If only he had not spoken! The Cat, with a great leap, sprang upon him, and without even giving him time to say "Oh!" ate him in a mouthful, feathers and all. Having eaten him and cleaned her mouth she shut her eyes again and feigned blindness as before. "Poor Blackbird!" said Pinocchio to the Cat, "why did you treat him so badly?" "I did it to give him a lesson. He will learn another time not to meddle in other people's conversation." They had gone almost half-way when the Fox, halting suddenly, said to the puppet: "Would you like to double your money?" "In what way?" "Would you like to make out of your five miserable sovereigns, a hundred, a thousand, two thousand?" "I should think so! but in what way?" "The way is easy enough. Instead of returning home you must go with us." "And where do you wish to take me?" "To the land of the Owls." Pinocchio reflected a moment, and then he said resolutely: