“This is terrible!” exclaimed her aunt.

“You’ve done great mischief, Emma.  What will become of him, and how will he get to Basel without money?”

Emma said she had given him all her own money, and he could certainly reach Basel, and if only aunty would go and tell his mother about it, all would be right.  Aunty lost no time.  She went directly to Heiri’s cottage, and met Mr. Bickel coming out from the door-way.

“As I have said,” was his closing remark, “I will soon put a stop to his loafing; for I will cut off his wages every hour that he idles.”

“You can’t cut down his wages, Cousin Bickel, before he begins to have any,” said Marget to herself as Mr. Bickel marched off with his most important air.

Aunty went into the little house.  The outer door opened into the kitchen, and beyond was the living-room.  The door between stood open, and through it could be seen two very old cradles, and the wash-tub stood near the door in the kitchen, so that as she stood at her work Marget could watch the three little boys and the baby at the same time.  Although Hans was now two years old, he still had a cradle, which served as a bed at night, and as a means of quieting him by day.  Whenever he set up his accustomed scream, his mother laid him into the cradle, where, soothed by the rocking motion, he soon fell asleep.  The two older brothers, Rudi and Heirli, standing one each side of the cradle, pushed it back and forth with great good-will.

Aunty sat down by the wash-tub, and, after begging Marget to go on with her work, she began gently to unfold her story, winding up with the offer of writing immediately to Basel, to find out how Fani was situated, and on what terms his master had taken him.  Then, if everything was not satisfactory, he could be brought home again.  In Marget’s ears still lingered her Cousin Bickel’s threat about cutting down wages.  Perhaps Fani wouldn’t earn much at the factory after all.  If he were in Basel, she should not have his food to provide, and if he could earn enough to clothe himself while learning a trade, it would probably be better than he could do at home, and no trouble to her either.  As these calculations passed through Marget’s mind, she concluded not to oppose the boy’s wishes, and she assured her visitor that his father would be satisfied if the doctor’s family thought it a good arrangement, and would some of them look after the boy a little.  It was a great relief to Emma’s kind aunt that so little blame was likely to attach to the girl for the consequences of her rash advice; and now she concluded her visit with some inquiries about Elsli.  Marget’s report was favorable.  Elsli spent all her time out of school at Oak-ridge, and was very happy in her work.  Marget got along very well with the children, and certainly the liberal pay which Elsli brought home every day was a great gain; to say nothing of many clothes which the sick child could not use,