while they were busy practising.

Now that they stood before the piano, Lili's ardor for playing it somewhat
cooled, and she reverted to her usual point of view with regard to it.

"You know, Dora, of course," she said, "that playing on the piano is the
most tedious thing in the world. Why, when I have to practise, I get
perfectly tired to death, don't you, Wili?" Wili assented emphatically.

"How can you feel so?" asked Dora, casting a longing look at the piano,
"Oh, if I could only sit down there and play as you do, Lili, I should be
perfectly happy."

"Do you really think so?" said Lili, struck with the expression of Dora's
eyes. She opened the piano quickly, and began to play a little melody.
Dora sat by, thirstily drinking in the sounds, and looking as charmed as
if Lili were conferring some substantial benefit upon her. The sight of
her pleasure was very inspiriting to Lili, who kept on playing better and
better, and when Wili saw the impression produced, he wanted to take his
share.

"Now let me play, Lili," he said, as she came to the end; but Lili was now
quite in the spirit of it, and did not stop for an instant, but began to
repeat the piece from the beginning.

"Do you know any other tune?" asked Dora.

"No; Miss Hanenwinkel will not teach me another till I have learned my
exercises better; but I know what I will do, Dora, just wait till
to-morrow, and then I will give you music lessons, and we will learn ever
so many tunes. Should you like that?"

"Will you really?" asked Dora, and she looked so overjoyed at the bare
idea, that Lili at once decided to begin the lessons on the very next day.

"But my arm!" exclaimed Dora. They had forgotten that. But Lili did not
give up her plans so easily.

"Oh, your arm will soon be better," she said, "and meantime I will learn
ever so many pieces, and be all the more able to teach you."

At this moment the big bell rang for supper. Hunne grasped Dora's hand,
declaring that there was no time to lose, for his father always came
punctually to his meals, and Hunne liked to do the same. The table was
spread under the apple-tree, and covered with a great variety of good
things. As she sat there looking about at these new acquaintances who
already seemed like old friends, Dora felt as if she were dreaming; it was
so much more delightful even than she had hoped; and she was almost afraid
that she should wake up all at once, and find it only a dream. But she did
not