“You seem to have a very minute knowledge of the place,” said the uncle.  “What does Mr. Trius say to the climbing of hedges?  In the meadows there are beautiful apple-trees as far as I remember.”

“He beats everybody he can catch,” was Kurt’s information, “even if they have no intention of taking the apples.  Whenever he sees anyone in the neighborhood of the hedge, he begins to strike out at them.”

“His intention is probably to show everybody who tries to nose around that the fences are not to be climbed.  Let us wait for your mother, who knows all the little ways.  She will tell us where to go.”

Uncle Philip glanced back for his sister, who had remained behind with Mea and Bruno.  While the uncle was amusing the younger ones, the two others were eagerly talking over their special problems with her, so that they got ahead very slowly.

“To which side shall we go now?  As you know the way so well, please tell us where to go,” said the uncle when the three had approached.

The mother replied that Uncle Philip knew the paths as well as she, if not even better.  As long as the decision lay with her, however, she chose the height to the left from which there was a clear view of the castle.

“Then we’ll pass by Apollonie’s cottage,” said Kurt.  “I am glad!  Then we can see what Loneli is doing after yesterday’s trouble.  She is the nicest child in school.”

“Let us go there,” the uncle assented.  “I shall be glad to see my old friend Apollonie again!  March ahead now!”

They had soon reached the cottage at the foot of the hill, which lay bathed in brilliant sunshine.  Only the old apple-tree in the corner threw a shadow over the wooden bench beneath it and over a part of the little garden.  Grandmother and grandchild were sitting on the bench dressed in their Sunday-best and with a book on their knees.  A delicious perfume of rosemary and mignonette filled the air from the little flower-beds.  Uncle Philip looked over the top of the hedge into the garden.

“Real Sunday peace is resting on everything here.  Just look, Maxa!” he called out to his sister.  “Look at the rose-hushes and the mignonette!  How pleasant and charming Apollonie looks in her spotless cap and shining apron with the apple-cheeked child beside her in her pretty dress!”

Loneli had just noticed her best friends and, jumping up from the bench, she ran to them.

Apollonie, glancing up, now recognized the company, too.  Radiant, she approached and invited them to step into her garden for a rest.  She was already opening the door in order to fetch out enough chairs and benches to seat them all when Mrs. Maxa stopped her.  She told Apollonie that their time was already very short, as they intended to climb the hill, but they had wished to greet her on their way up and to see her well-ordered garden.

“How attractively it is laid out, Mrs. Apollonie!” Uncle Philip exclaimed.  “This small space is as lovely as the large castle-garden used to be.  Your roses and mignonette, the cabbage, beans and beets, the little fountain in the corner are so charming!  Your bench under the apple-tree looks most inviting.”