able on this Saturday; Oscar rose as soon as he could hope
to be excused, and Emma did not remain any longer. She had scarcely
taken her eyes from the clock since she sat down, and had answered at
cross purposes all dinner-time.

"What are you children about now, that you are in such a tremendous
hurry?" asked their father, as they were leaving the room. Emma did not
wait to answer.

But Oscar said:--

"You will see to-morrow. To-day we are going to put up the stand for the
speaker and to arrange the procession. You'll be surprised, I'm sure.
Of course you'll come and hear Feklitus speak?"

"With pleasure. Your mother and aunt will go too, I'm sure. Are you one
of the company, Fred?"

"No, indeed. I have more important things to interest me. It is of more
use to find and to study the smallest common frog than to attend a
thousand musical festivals."

Rikli started as if she thought he was going to produce a specimen of
frog from his pocket at that moment. Oscar cast a look of pity upon his
brother, and left the room.

That afternoon as Mrs. Stein and her sister sat out in the garden, with
their work-basket on the table between them, the former said:--

"It is singular how things repeat themselves. When the children tell us
how Feklitus is constantly running after Elsli, though no one can
understand why, it reminds me of times long ago when his father, stout
Fekli, used to pursue Gritli, and how she used to run on before him,
looking back now and then and calling out with a laugh:--

"'Come and catch me if you dare,
You big, heavy-footed bear,'"--

A piercing shriek broke in upon the laugh which followed the repetition
of this long-forgotten couplet, and they both sprang to their feet; but
immediately recognizing the voice, they sat quietly down again, and
resumed their work.

"It is only Rikli," said her mother; "she is always in a fright about
nothing."

"Fred is probably amusing himself at her expense with some beetle or
frog," said the aunt. "I can't help being sorry for the child, and it's
too bad of Fred; but it's useless to run to her every time she
screams."

Just then the sound of singing arose from the other side of the garden,
apparently trying to overpower the noise of the child's cry, and they
heard the words:--

"Hanseli is a cry-baby,
Rikli is another;
She's so exactly like him
That he must be her brother."

"That's Fred!" exclaimed Mrs. Stein. "So he is c