“Oh, it was good luck for us that Mr. Hartman came and took us away from that miserable place,” exclaimed Paul the moment the door closed.

“I never was gladder in my life,” affirmed Franz.  “Now we feel safe, and are dry and warm and in good beds where we can sleep well.”

“And whom have we to thank for it but the young gentleman from Odenwald—­my Pixy,” reminded Fritz.  “If he had not barked, the forest-keeper would not have known we were there.  Oh, we are so comfortable here, aren’t we, Pixy?  And we have you to thank for it.”

Early the next morning the forester’s wife went to the kitchen to make the wood fire on the hearth brighter, that the boys’ garments might be thoroughly dry; for she had planned that they should sleep as long as they wished, and she would give the three apprentices their breakfast first that they might continue their journey.  She made coffee and warm bread, and was putting them upon the table when she saw them come up from the brook, where they had washed hands and faces and combed their hair.  Refreshed by rest and sleep, they looked much better than when the triplets first saw them.

The forest-keeper, who had risen early to attend to matters about the place, came in just as they finished their breakfast.

“I hope you slept well and have enjoyed your coffee,” he said kindly.

“We enjoyed both heartily, Forest-master, and thank you for your goodness to us.”

“Forest-master, you say?  I am not that but only one of the keepers.”

“We would do you honor, which is our reason for calling you by that name.”

“But you do not honor one by giving him a higher title than he is entitled to.  Instead it humiliates him, or he thinks you are making sport of him.”

“We did not mean it in either way, Mr. Hartman.”

“I believe you, so we will not say anything more about it.”

“Then, good-bye, Mr. Forester, and we thank you and your wife for your goodness to us.  We will long remember that coffee.  Tell the boys good-bye for us.  They were afraid of us, but we meant them no harm.  Good-bye!  Good-bye!”

The forester’s wife now prepared breakfast for her husband and herself.  The blazing fire upon the hearth was doing its duty in bringing the boys’ clothing to the state desired while they were sleeping the sleep of tired boyhood.  They did not waken until near noon, but this would allow them to reach home before night; and they enjoyed their first meal of the day, arrayed in their dry and neatly-brushed garments, and refreshed by bathing their hands, faces and feet in the brook.

The day was bright and delightfully cool after the rain, and in fine spirits they bade the forest-keeper’s wife good-bye as they set out for home.