NOBODY'S BOY (_Sans Famille_) BY HECTOR MALOT TRANSLATED BY FLORENCE CREWE-JONES _ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR BY_ JOHN B. GRUELLE NEW YORK MDCCCCXVI CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY _Copyright, 1916, by_ CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY Printed in U. S. A. [Illustration: "THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF REMI'S COMPANY." (_See page 230_)] CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I MY VILLAGE HOME 1 II MY ADOPTED FATHER 10 III SIGNOR VITALIS' COMPANY 21 IV THE MATERNAL HOUSE 35 V EN ROUTE 43 VI MY DÉBUT 49 VII CHILD AND ANIMAL LEARNING 61 VIII ONE WHO HAD KNOWN A KING 67 IX ARRESTED 74 X HOMELESS 85 XI ANOTHER BOY'S MOTHER 109 XII THE MASTER'S CONSENT 120 XIII WEARY DREARY DAYS 128 XIV THE DEATH OF PRETTY-HEART 148 XV FAITHFUL FRIENDS 163 XVI THE PADRONE 169 XVII POOR VITALIS 184 XVIII NEW FRIENDS 194 XIX DISASTER 205 XX MATTIA 220 XXI MEETING OLD FRIENDS 236 XXII IMPRISONED IN A MINE 244 XXIII ONCE MORE UPON THE WAY 262 XXIV FRIENDSHIP THAT IS TRUE 270 XXV MOTHER, BROTHERS AND SISTERS 294 XXVI BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT 304 XXVII A DISTRESSING DISCOVERY 312 XXVIII A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER 330 XXIX IN PRISON 335 XXX ESCAPE 345 XXXI HUNTING FOR THE SWAN 353 XXXII FINDING A REAL MOTHER 359 XXXIII THE DREAM COME TRUE 368 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF REMI'S COMPANY" (_See Page 230_) _Frontispiece_ PAGE "I'LL GIVE YOU THIRTY FRANCS FOR HIM" 33 "FOR EACH CRY YOU WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER SLASH" 181 "LET US NOW PLAY FOR THOSE WE LOVE" 371 INTRODUCTION "Nobody's Boy," published in France under the title "Sans Famille," has become justly famous as one of the supreme juvenile stories of the world. In the midst of its early popularity, it was crowned by the Academy as one of the masterpieces of French literature. A few years later, it was followed by "En Famille," which is published by us as a companion story under the title "Nobody's Girl." "Nobody's Boy" is a human document of child experiences that is fascinating reading for young and old. Parents, teachers and others, who are careful to have children read inspiring books, will welcome this beautiful story of Hector Malot, as among the best for them to recommend.