“No, indeed; he doesn’t need it, and I will take it off, and put it in my knapsack as soon as we are past the village.  I only brought it to put on him when we are in the streets of Frankfort to keep him from getting frightened and running away.”

The rope was taken off and put in the knapsack, and then Fritz made another proposition.

“Let us take off our shoes and stick our stockings in them, swing them from our knapsacks, and go barefoot.”

“All right!” agreed the others, and soon they were rejoicing in the luxury of bare feet, but not long, for Paul struck his toe against a stone, then getting a briar in his foot, sank down upon a green bank and took it in his hand.

“I see the briar,” exclaimed Fritz, “and can take it out.”

“Oh, no, it will hurt,” objected Paul, with tears in his eyes, but his tears changed to smiles when he saw the briar in the hand of Fritz.

This was a warning and they put on their stockings and shoes, and then concluded to eat some more breakfast.

“What have you to eat?” asked Fritz, as Franz took his package from his knapsack.

“I have brown bread; mother made it for me because I love it, and she put plenty of good sausage with it.”

“Nothing better!” said Fritz, heartily.  “What have you, Paul, for your second breakfast?”

“I have bread and butter and two eggs.”

“And I have bread and butter and ham, and if either of you boys want a slice of it, just speak.  It is fine, I tell you,” said Fritz.

“Oh, say, boys,” exclaimed Franz, “let us divide our breakfast, share and share alike.  If either of you would like some of my brown bread and sausage, say so, and you shall have it.”

“I love brown bread and sausage, too,” remarked Paul, “and either of you can have part of the eggs, only that I do not know how to divide two into three parts.”

“Easy enough,” explained Franz, “you can give me one egg, and I will give you the biggest piece of my sausage, then you can cut the other egg in two for you and Fritz.”

“All right, here is the egg.”

“And here is the sausage, the largest piece for you.  Fritz, here is yours.”

“That is fine; here, Franz, take part of my ham.”

“Here is a slice of my white bread for a slice of your brown,” continued Paul.

“All right, reach for it.  You will find that it goes as well with sausage as does an egg with white bread; now let’s eat.”

Fritz had not waited for any invitation.  He was hungry and as he ate the sausage which he was holding in one hand, he passed the ham to Franz, in exchange for it.  As Paul reached for the slice of brown bread, his piece of sausage fell to the ground and was snapped up by the waiting Pixy.

“Now I have no sausage, and it was your dog, Fritz, that robbed me of it,” complained Paul in a disappointed tone.

“Yes, and I would give you my share, but I have eaten it; eat the ham, Paul, and take back this half egg.”