with the gentlemen."

"Well, that is honest," Hector said with a smile. "However, I will
ask him a few questions. Now, Paolo, in the first place, could
you be faithful?"

"I could be faithful to a master I loved," he said.

"In the second place, are you honest?"

"He is honest," the man said, "I will say that for him."

"Are you truthful?"

"I am as truthful as other people," the boy said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, sir, that if I were asked a straightforward question I
would give a straightforward answer, unless it were wiser not to
do so. I would tell the truth to my master, but I do not consider
it necessary always to do so to others. For instance, sir, if you
were my master, and questions were asked about you, there might be
times when it would not be convenient for you that I should mention
where you had gone, or what you were doing."

"That is so," Hector said with a laugh. "The important thing for
me to know is, would you always tell me the truth?"

"I think that I could promise to do that, sir, or at least to be