. The recovery of
his treasure put Rolf again in good-humor. He rushed back to the house,
calling out, "Jule, Paula, did you know that the twins shot a child
yesterday?" And so it came about that all six of the children, and Miss
Hanenwinkel, besides, stood on the stone steps, on tip-toe with
excitement, awaiting the mother's return from the cottage. The moment she
appeared, Hunne called out, "Where was it hit?" and then each one asked a
different question, and all at once:

"Is it a child?" "Is it a boy?" "How big is it?" "What is its name?" "Is
it much hurt?"

"Come into the house, first," said the mother, turning a deaf ear to the
shower of questions; and when they were clustered about her in the house,
she told them about the pale, delicate little maiden, with a bandage upon
her arm, so tight that she could scarcely use it. She said that the child
was apparently about Paula's age; that she spoke excellent German, and
looked very nice and well-bred; that her name was Dora, and last of all,
that she was to come into the garden after dinner, and then they could
make her acquaintance. All was now curiosity and excitement; how did the
child look--what would she say? And each began to speculate what his own
particular relation would be to the new-comer.

Paula stood still in intense delight; and only said, "Oh, if she is so
nice, and just my age, too, mamma, how happy I shall be!" She had visions
of a great, indissoluble friendship, and she could hardly wait till
afternoon. Rolf was sure that Dora was just the right age to guess his
charades, and that he should make friends with her at once on that ground.
The twins had a feeling that Dora belonged especially to them, because
they had shot her; and they thought she would be the very one to help them
in carrying out their schemes; for they often needed a third person, and
Paula was never in the mood.

"Well, I am glad that Dora is coming," said Hunne, "for I can go to her
Saturdays, when all the chairs are standing on their heads, and no one
else will have me."

Last of all Jule asked, "Hunne, I want to get some good out of Dora, too,
what shall it be?"

"I know," said the child, after thinking awhile, "she can help you get off
your riding-boots--you know there weren't enough of us, last time."

"The very thing," said Jule, laughing.

Dora was also greatly excited--she fairly trembled. One moment she did not
know what to do for joy that the longed-for happiness ha