stewed pears had disappeared like magic, and but one piece of the
veal and two rolls remained.

They arose from the table and were about to leave, when Fritz took the
piece of veal upon his fork and ate it.

"What is the use of leaving it when one has an appetite for it?" he
said.

"Then as none of the veal is left we may as well eat the rolls," said
Franz. Paul agreed and the plate was empty, and nothing was left to
prove to the landlord that they had more than enough.

"Oh, boys, we have again forgotten to feed Pixy!" said Fritz. "You see
my little sister feeds him at home and that is the reason that I forget
him."

This was a misfortune and there was no help for it but to tell the
innkeeper.

"Would you give Pixy his supper for three pennies?" asked Fritz.

"Oh, don't bother about the dog. He has had his supper in the yard.
Don't you see how well he is sleeping on the porch?"

The three now concluded to take a walk through the village, followed or
rather guided by Pixy, who could be trusted without his rope in that
quiet place, but they soon returned and asked to be shown to their room.
The landlord led the way to a large, pleasant room with three single
beds in it, and pointed to a piece of carpet for Pixy, for Fritz had
asked permission for him to share their room. Then he wished them a
good sleep, bade them good-night and went below.

The room was different from any that they had ever seen, not at all like
theirs in their own homes. It was not square, but had many nooks and
corners which the light of one candle could not reach. Paul said it was
like a room he once read of, which had a secret door which led down to
an underground passage where travelers were robbed and left there to
find their way out if they could. This blood-curdling narrative filled
the hearers' minds with fears of what might happen, and they resolved to
barricade the door. They locked it, and then pushed the washstand and
chairs against it.

"A robber could not push these things away without waking us," remarked
Paul.

"No, and before he could get in, Pixy would be ready to fly at him,"
said Fritz proudly.

This was a great comfort to the three and they prepared to disrobe for
sleep.

"We have not much money to waste for lodging," remarked Fritz, "and if
we sleep in three beds we will have to pay for three; let us all sleep
in one, and we will have to pay for but one."

This was a great stroke of policy, and the others agreed