, and she constantly used it as a
form of farewell, whether it was apropos or not. Thus she would say to the
persistent scissors-grinder, who came to the door,

"Have you come back so soon? Do go where you are wanted if there is any
such place. Good-bye. I'll see you again," and shut the door with a slam.

Or to the traveling agent who brought his wares to show, if asked to
dismiss him, she would say,

"We want nothing; you know very well. Don't come here again. Good-bye.
I'll see you again," and shut the door in his face. This was a
peculiarity of Miss Hanenwinkel.

Julius was quietly seated in a corner of the sitting-room, while Hunne
stood before him watching with grave attention his nut-cracker's desperate
grimaces as he gave him nut after nut to crack in his powerful jaws. Hunne
carefully divided each kernel, giving one half to Jule, while he popped
the other into his own little mouth.

Rolf approached them, repeating his question, "Will you guess, Jule? You
are not busy."

"My first in France, applaudingly
The people to the actors cry:
With steady aim full in the eye,
To hit my second you must try;
My whole's a prince of prowess high,
Who fought the fight for Germany."

"That is Bismarck, of course," said the quick-witted lad.

"O, O, how quickly you guessed it," said Rolf, quite taken aback.

"Now it is my turn; pay attention. You must try hard for this now. I have
just made it up." And Jule declaimed with emphasis:

"My first transforms the night,
And puts its peace to flight.
My second should you now become,
You scarce will move, for fife or drum.
My whole hath power to soothe you all,
Be your delight in church, or camp, or ball."

"That is hard," said Rolf, who was rather a slow thinker. "Wait a moment,
Jule, I shall get it soon." So Rolf sat down on an ottoman to think it
over at his ease.

The big Jule and the little Hunne in the mean time pursued their
occupation without interruption. As an extra proof of his skill, Julius
practised with the shells at hitting different objects in the room, to his
little brother's delight and admiration.

"I have it," cried Rolf at last, much delighted. "It is Cat-nip!"

"O, O, what a guess! what are you thinking of? It is something very
different, entirely different. It is music. Mew--sick--music, don't you
see?"

"Oh, yes," said Rolf rather abashed. "Now wait Jule, here's anot