children's most intimate friends. She then
inquired whether Mrs. Bickel wished Feklitus to go with her children.

Mrs. Bickel declared that she should not think of such a thing as that.
In that case Mrs. Stanhope would naturally ask him to stay at her house,
which of course they would not allow; as if he could not afford to pay
for his lodging! But she would be glad if Oscar would write as soon as
convenient and tell Feklitus the best way to go, and also find out the
chief hotel in the neighborhood. Then, if Oscar would meet him on his
arrival, and show him the way to it, Feklitus would take a room there,
and spend the time between meals with the children at Mrs. Stanhope's.
His father meant to go himself very soon to visit his young relatives,
as it was only proper that he should do; and he would bring the boy
home.

Mrs. Stein listened patiently to this long discourse, but her thoughts
often wandered away into the next room, to aunty and the bags. How were
they getting on all this time?

She promised Mrs. Bickel that Oscar would do what she asked, and now
she hoped the visit was coming to a close. But there was more to ask.
How many suits of clothes did she think needed for such a journey? Would
six new ones be enough? Wouldn't it be well to fill one trunk entirely
with new shirts, so that they needn't be washed away from home; hotel
laundry work was so bad. Mrs. Stein only replied that she had not so
many suits to give her children, and that Mrs. Bickel must decide such
questions for herself.

It was growing dark before the visit came to an end, and Mrs. Stein
hastened back into the other room. The packing was done, and aunty had
gone away with Oscar. The other children were complaining that they
wanted her, and they didn't see why Oscar should keep her all to
himself.

Little Rikli had been watching all the preparations with the keenest
interest, and, as it turned out, with an unfortunate effect. For mother
and aunty, having decided that the child was too young to go so far from
home, had persuaded her, by the prospect of many delightful treats and
excursions with them, to make up her mind that she would far rather stay
at home, than go on this long, uncertain journey without them. But alas!
all this delightful stir of preparation had fascinated the child, and
completely changed her views on the subject. She was seized with a
desire to go too, and she suddenly burst into a loud scream, which
increased every i