“Shall I, too; shall I, too?” interrupted the girl.

“Maezli,” said the mother, “let Lippo finish; otherwise I can’t understand what you want.”

“Mama, the teacher has read us a paper, on which was written that in Sils on the mountain—­”

“Shall I, too?  Shall I, too?” Maezli, his sister, interrupted again.

“Be quiet, Maezli, till Lippo has finished,” the mother commanded.

“He has said the same thing twice already and he is so slow.  There has been a fire in Sils on the mountain and we are to send things to the people.  Shall I do it, too, Mama, shall I, too?” Maezli had told it all in a single breath.

“You didn’t say it right,” Lippo retorted angrily.  “You didn’t start from the beginning.  One must not start in the middle, the teacher told us that.  Now I’ll tell you, Mama.  The teacher has read us a paper—­”

“We know that already, Lippo,” the mother remarked.  “What was in the paper?”

“In the paper was written that a big fire in Sils on the mountain has destroyed two houses and everything in them.  Then the teacher said that all the pupils of the class—­”

“Shall I too, shall I, too?” Maezli urged.

“Finish a little quicker now, Lippo,” said the mother.

“Then the teacher said that all the pupils from all the classes must bring some of their things to give to the poor children—­”

“Shall I too, Mama, shall I go right away and get together all they need?” Maezli said rapidly, as if the last moment for action had arrived.

“Yes, you can give some of your clothes and Lippo can bring some of his,” the mother said.  “I shall help you, for we have plenty of time.  To-morrow is Sunday and the children are sure not to bring their things to school before Monday, as the teacher will want to send them off himself.”

Lippo agreed and was just beginning to repeat the exact words of the teacher in which he had asked for contributions.  But he had no chance to do it.

Kurt came running up at this moment, calling so loudly that nothing else could possibly be heard:  “Mother, I forgot to give you a message.  Bruno is not coming home for supper.  The Rector is climbing High Ems with him and the two other boys.  They will only be home at nine o’clock.”

The mother looked a little frightened.  “Are the two others his comrades, the Knippel boys?”

Kurt assented.

“I hope everything will go well,” she continued.  “When those three are together outside of school they always quarrel.  When we came here first I was so glad that Bruno would have them for friends, but now I am in continual fear that they will clash.”

“Yes, mother,” Kurt asserted, “you would never have been glad of that friendship if you had really known them.  Wherever they can harm anybody they are sure to do it, and always behind people’s backs.  And Bruno always is like a loaded gun-barrel, just a little spark and he is on fire and explodes.”