Gritlis Children | Page 6

the house. The lady followed with Mrs. Stein.
"That girl is a great deal bigger than you are, if mother did say that she
was only eight or nine years old," said Fred to Rikli. "She is more
nearly Emma's age, and what do you suppose she would think to hear
you screaming as you did just now? I don't think she'd like you for a
friend."
"Well, at any rate, she wouldn't always have centipedes and frogs and
spiders in her pockets, as you have, Fred," retorted Rikli; and she was
about to add some farther excuse for her screams, when Fred opened
his hand to see how his frog was getting on, and lo! the little creature
made one big jump right towards Rikli's face! With a piercing cry, the
child flew into the house, but was instantly stopped by Kathri, with:
"Hush! hush! When there is that sick little girl in there, how can you
make such a noise?"
"Where is aunty?" asked Rikli; a question that the maid answered
before it was fairly uttered, for it was asked hundreds of times in that
household every day.
"In the other room. The sick girl is in here, and you mustn't go in, your
mother says. And as for screaming like a pig, you mustn't do that either,
in a respectable house," added Kathri, on her own account.
Rikli hastened into the room where her aunt was, to tell her about
Fred's horrid frog, and how it had jumped almost into her very face.
Her aunt was listening to Oscar, the eldest brother, who was talking
earnestly.
"You see, aunty," he was saying, "that if Feklitus does not object, we
can put the two verses together; then ours could go here, and the other

there, and both would be used. Won't that do?"
"Yes, that will be very nice indeed," said his aunt in a tone of
conviction; "that will remove all difficulties; and the verses are really
very suitable, as such verses ought to be."
"You will help Emma with the embroidery, won't you, aunty? You
know she will never finish the banner by herself. She is always up to so
many pranks, and she cannot keep at one thing half an hour at a time."
His aunt promised her assistance, and he ran off, well pleased, to tell
his friends of their new ally. Rikli thought her chance had come now,
but before she could begin her story Emma rushed in, crying, almost
out of breath:--
"Aunty! aunty! They are all going to gather strawberries--a lot of boys
and girls--may I go too? Say 'yes' quick, for I can't get at mamma and
they won't wait."
"Strawberries to-day, violets yesterday, and blueberries to-morrow;
always something or other; that is the way with you, Emma. Well, go,
but do not stay out too late."
"I want to go too," cried Rikli, and started after her sister.
But Emma, clearing the steps in two jumps, called back:--
"No, you can't go into the woods; there are red snails there and beetles
and--"
But Rikli did not wait to hear more; she was reminded of the frog, and
turned back to tell her story, when she saw Fred coming in with his
book under his arm. He seated himself by his aunt and opened the
book.
"How nice it is to find you, aunty," he began, "Mamma couldn't wait to
hear the end of this description; and it was a pity, for I had found such a
perfect specimen. But I'll find another to-morrow to show you."

"No! no!" cried Rikli. "Say 'no,' aunty; it will jump right into your face,
and it has yellow eyes like a dragon's."
Fred had doubled up his fist as if he had something in it, and now he
suddenly opened it into his sister's face. She sprang back with a cry,
and away through the door.
"Now we can have a little peace," said Fred, well pleased at the success
of his trick; and he began to read.
"'The green or water-frog, _esculenta_'--"
At this moment the house-door was opened, and they heard footsteps
and voices in the passage-way.
"Come," said his aunt, "let us look out at the little sick girl who is going
away; then we will come back to the frog."
They went to the window and looked out. A sad expression came into
the good aunt's face as she saw the little girl lifted into the carriage.
"How sick and pale she looks, poor little thing! or, rather, poor
sorrowful mother!" she said, as her eyes fell on the face of the lady who
was at this moment pressing Mrs. Stein's hand, while tears were
running, unheeded, down her cheeks.
The carriage rolled away. Fred returned to his book; but