Pixys Holiday Journey | Page 8

from the scraps, and lay down in the shade and slept.
"Let us keep our cups in hand until we come to a running stream of water. Milk, coffee and chocolate are all good, but it is water you want when you are real thirsty."
The running stream was found after they had walked a half mile further and Fritz had to hold Pixy by the collar to keep him from running in and taking a bath before they had satisfied their thirst. The water was delightfully cool and fresh, and the moment Fritz let go the cord Pixy plunged in, and enjoyed the bath so much that the boys were tempted to follow his example. But they had heard that it was not good for the health to bathe so soon after a hearty meal, so sat in the shade while Pixy slept in the sun until his long, silky, black hair was nearly dry. Then they arose and walked on until about the middle of the day they reached a village which had an old church with a tall tower, and a number of small dwellings, two of them being public houses, or inns.
"To which of the two will we go to take our dinners?" asked Franz.
"To the one that has the gilt lion on the sign-board. I believe they are richer people and will give us a better dinner," replied Paul.
"But it will cost us more," objected Fritz, "and you know that we have just so much money, which must last until we get back to the Odenwald. Let us go to the one that looks the cheapest."
This was agreed to, and the three went in, and were received by the landlady.
"Do you wish your dinners?" she asked, seeing that none of them seemed inclined to give an order.
No one of them had ever been in a public house, so each waited for the other to speak.
"Yes, we wish dinner," said Fritz at length. "Have you lettuce?"
"Yes; what will you have with it?"
"Potatoes."
"But they take so long to boil, so think of something else."
"We will have meat."
"I have no meat to-day."
"Then we will take sausage."
"I have no sausage to-day."
"Then what have you?"
"Noodle soup, and a cherry pudding."
"Good!" exclaimed the boys in a breath, "we all like pudding."
"Very well, take seats at this table and I will bring in the dinner."
The boys were not slow in obeying; there was no tablecloth but the pine table was scoured to almost perfect whiteness, and the dishes, few and poor though they were, glistened.
A large dish of lettuce was set before them, then a bowl of soup at each plate, and some thick slices of brown bread.
"What drink will you have?" she asked.
"We prefer milk."
"There is no milk. It all went into the pudding, but you can have plenty of cold coffee."
"No, we will take water, please."
This was brought, and when the soup was finished, the pudding was brought, and although it was of fair size not a vestige of it was left; and it was then that Fritz remembered Pixy.
"Oh, boys, I forgot him and we have eaten all the pudding from him," he said, remorsefully.
"We will each give a penny and ask the mistress to give him some dinner," said Paul.
But it was not needed. Pixy had been well fed on the remains of the soup, and was ready to journey as soon as they gave him notice. Fritz thanked the kind woman, and she in turn was pleased with the well-bred boys who had given evidence of being satisfied with the food, and had paid her the price she asked.
Then they set out cheerily and soon broke into a melody they sang at school. They had good voices and sang with spirit. So interested were they that they did not hear the sound of wheels although a carriage was coming slowly behind them, and a gentleman who was in it was listening with pleasure. At length the song was finished and the boys heard the sound of wheels, halted and turned, then lifted their hats to the stranger.
"I hope you will keep on with your singing. I love it, and I love boys," said the gentleman in a pleasant voice. "I like to see them on their travels. Have you any objection to telling me where you are going?"
"To Frankfort," they all replied at once.
"Why not go by railway?"
"We wished to walk all the way."
"Of course you expect to stay over night somewhere?"
"Yes, we expect to stay to-night at an inn if it is not too expensive. If it is, we will sleep on straw somewhere. We would not mind that this warm weather."
"People who are used to a bed would find it very uncomfortable to sleep on straw. What place did you expect to reach by evening?"
"The village of