News came that the Principe di Melioria, our beloved Signor Capo (as he liked us to call him) has been lost in some tragedy in the New World. No one told me the whole story, but the Principe d'Auvergnemet me at the docks early yesterday and told me that all of the orphans who have been wards of the Principe should not fear for their future at the port of Melioria.

Yet, the Principe was beside himself with grief. He wept and sighed, and I began to fear the worst.What happened? How could this be? There are no answers. The principe d'Auvergne told me that tomorrow the ships will come from Gaeta. Perhaps they would bring us better news.

The morning was misty and cold: very odd for this time of year. The mist became thicker and thicker, and as I mounted the hill I could make out the figure of a noble on horseback. He was as still as a monument, but he was the picture of sadness. He looked out at the port and remained still for many minutes, so that I hesitated to approach.

When the noble finally rode off, I continued to look for my friends. There was no need to worry. The cold weather made it easy to find them.As I approached the palazzo, I could see Prospero standing at the window of the boys' sleeping quarters. He wore his hat and cloak, which was strange to see on someone indoors. Even from a distance, I could see that Prospero had a dire look in his eyes. It was the same look that I had seen in the eyes of the Principe d'Auvergne and in the posture of the horseman. He must have heard the bad news too.

Slowly I made my way upstairs, to the boys' sleeping quarters. Prospero was in shock and stood by the window, searching through the now impossible fog. Rico, instead, sat on his bed. He sobbed and sighed.

"Our dear prince is missing," Rico cried as I came in the room: "he cannot be found."

Prospero looked at Rico and then at me. "It is time to make our plans," he said. "We have lost our patron. We must leave this island." The words were hard. I looked at Rico and he nodded. We both knew that our friend Prospero was right.