"When you wish to come back--if they let you--blow on the whistle which I am carrying round my neck. Keep it, for I have very sharp ears and can hear the sound of it for five hundred leagues. As soon as I hear it I will come, and pop! I will take you by the belt to my nest."
When the eagle had gone the squirrel came out of Claudio's pocket and said to him:
"Have we arrived already, my little friend?"
"Have you come too?" exclaimed Claudio joyfully.
"Yes, but incognito. I liked the look of you and wish to help you with my advice: you know that squirrels, modesty apart, are very sharp."
"Do you not want to see this man? Then let us go on, because I also would like to know him."
"Then we will defend ourselves. I will go first and explore the surroundings, and will come back at once."
And saying this, the squirrel started to run with the quickness usual to his race, returning after a little while very much frightened.
"Do you know," he said, "that the man with the two faces is at the present moment giving a terrible hiding to some boys that he has shut up in a cage?"
"They must be naughty boys, but I am good, and he will give me toys."
"I don't know about that, because the only thing I have seen him give is knocks; and do you know what he was saying?
"'This one I like, that one, no; But I shall kill them all, O!'"
"Just what I am telling you. I have only seen his gay face which is in the back of his head, and on seeing him I closed my eyes and came away quickly, for if he sees me he will tear me to bits."
"What are we going to do?" said Claudio, startled.
"Climb up this pine tree with me and from there we will watch."
They climbed up a tree and from it saw a house, or rather a great cage, formed of big iron bars with an iron roof. In the centre was seated the man with the two faces with a whip in his hand, punishing a number of boys of all ages who filled the cage.
The temptation seized Claudio to blow the whistle and make the eagle come back to fetch him away, but his curiosity overcame his fear, and he said to himself:
"After all, I can go away whenever I like."
A little later they saw the man with two faces come out of the cage and walk in the direction of the place where Claudio was. On his approach they saw such a woebegone countenance that Claudio was filled with fear. As the squirrel saw him shudder, he said to him in a very low voice: