t it."

"Yes," said Hulda, "he was always telling us about such things. But
one naturally forgets them in the course of time."

"Not I, I remember things like that."

CHAPTER II

The conversation ran on thus for some time, the girls recalling with
mingled disgust and delight the school lessons they had had in common,
and a great many of the teacher's uncalled-for remarks. Suddenly
Hulda said: "But you must make haste, Effi; why, you look--why, what
shall I say--why, you look as though you had just come from a cherry
picking, all rumpled and crumpled. Linen always gets so badly creased,
and that large white turned down collar--oh, yes, I have it now; you
look like a cabin boy."

"Midshipman, if you please. I must derive some advantage from my
nobility. But midshipman or cabin boy, only recently papa again
promised me a mast, here close by the swing, with yards and a rope
ladder. Most assuredly I should like one and I should not allow
anybody to interfere with my fastening the pennant at the top. And
you, Hulda, would climb up then on the other side and high in the air
we would shout: 'Hurrah!' and give each other a kiss. By Jingo, that
would be a sweet one."

"'By Jingo.' Now just listen to that. You really talk like a
midshipman. However, I shall take care not to climb up after you, I am
not such a dare-devil. Jahnke is quite right when he says, as he
always does, that you have too much Billing in you, from your mother.
I am only a preacher's daughter."

"Ah, go along. Still waters run deep--But come, let us swing, two on a
side; I don't believe it will break. Or if you don't care to, for you
are drawing long faces again, then we will play hide-and-seek. I still
have a quarter of an hour. I don't want to go in, yet, and anyhow it
is merely to say: 'How do you do?' to a district councillor, and a
district councillor from Further Pomerania to boot. He is elderly,
too. Why he might almost be my father; and if he actually lives in a
seaport, for, you know, that is what Kessin is said to be, I really
ought to make the best impression upon him in this sailor costume, and
he ought almost to consider it a delicate attention. When princes
receive anybody, I know from what papa has told me, they always put on
the uniform of the country of their guest. So don't worry--Quick,
quick, I am going to hide and here by the bench is the base."

Hulda was about to fix a few boundaries, but Effi had already run up
the fir