laughing, at which Fritz
looked rather puzzled.

Then auntie's eyes went back to the picture again.

"It _is_ sweet," she said, "very, very sweet, and so perfectly natural."

All this time, as I told you, Herr Baby's whole mind had been given to
the shiny glasses. Suddenly the sound of his aunt's voice caught his
ear, and he looked up.

"What is it that is so 'weet, auntie?" he said.

"The picture over there, dear. Hanging up by the door. The little girl."

Baby looked up, and in a moment his eyes brightened.

"Oh, what a _dear_ little baby!" he said. "Oh, her _is_ 'weet! Auntie,
him would so like to kiss her."

"You darling!" said auntie, her glance turning from the sweet picture
face above to the sweet living face beside her. "I wonder if you will
ever learn to paint like that, Baby. _I_ should very much like to copy
it if I could have the loan of it. It would be sure to be very dear to
buy," she added to herself. "But we must hurry, my little boys," she
went on. "I was tempted to waste time admiring the picture, but we must
be quick."

Fritz and Lisa turned away with auntie, but Baby waited one moment
behind. He pressed his face close against the shop window and whispered
softly,

"Pitty little girl, him would like to kiss you. Him will come a 'nother
day. P'ease, pitty little girl, don't let nobody take away the shiny
glasses, for him wants to buy them for mother."

Then, quite satisfied, he trotted down the street after the others, who
were waiting for him a few doors off.

"Were you saying good-bye to the picture, Baby?" said auntie, smiling.

"Yes," said Baby gravely.

Auntie soon found the office where she was to hear about the house they
were thinking of taking. The little boys stood beside her and listened
gravely while she asked questions about it, though they couldn't
understand what was said.

"Him wishes the people in this countly wouldn't talk lubbish talk," said
Herr Baby to Fritz with a sigh. "Him would so like to know what them
says."

"_I_ want to know if we're going to have a house with a garden," said
Fritz. "That's all _I_ care about," and as soon as they were out in the
street again, he asked auntie if "the man" had said there was a garden
to the house.

"There are several houses that I have to tell your grandfather about,"
said auntie. "Some have gardens and some haven't, but the one we like
the best has a garden, though not a very big one."

"Not as big as the one at home