Mrs. Bickel declared that she should not think of such a thing as that.  In that case Mrs. Stanhope would naturally ask him to stay at her house, which of course they would not allow; as if he could not afford to pay for his lodging!  But she would be glad if Oscar would write as soon as convenient and tell Feklitus the best way to go, and also find out the chief hotel in the neighborhood.  Then, if Oscar would meet him on his arrival, and show him the way to it, Feklitus would take a room there, and spend the time between meals with the children at Mrs. Stanhope’s.  His father meant to go himself very soon to visit his young relatives, as it was only proper that he should do; and he would bring the boy home.

Mrs. Stein listened patiently to this long discourse, but her thoughts often wandered away into the next room, to aunty and the bags.  How were they getting on all this time?

She promised Mrs. Bickel that Oscar would do what she asked, and now she hoped the visit was coming to a close.  But there was more to ask.  How many suits of clothes did she think needed for such a journey?  Would six new ones be enough?  Wouldn’t it be well to fill one trunk entirely with new shirts, so that they needn’t be washed away from home; hotel laundry work was so bad.  Mrs. Stein only replied that she had not so many suits to give her children, and that Mrs. Bickel must decide such questions for herself.

It was growing dark before the visit came to an end, and Mrs. Stein hastened back into the other room.  The packing was done, and aunty had gone away with Oscar.  The other children were complaining that they wanted her, and they didn’t see why Oscar should keep her all to himself.

Little Rikli had been watching all the preparations with the keenest interest, and, as it turned out, with an unfortunate effect.  For mother and aunty, having decided that the child was too young to go so far from home, had persuaded her, by the prospect of many delightful treats and excursions with them, to make up her mind that she would far rather stay at home, than go on this long, uncertain journey without them.  But alas! all this delightful stir of preparation had fascinated the child, and completely changed her views on the subject.  She was seized with a desire to go too, and she suddenly burst into a loud scream, which increased every instant under Emma’s scolding, and was only intensified by Fred’s taunting song:—­

    “Hanseli is a cry-baby,
      Rikli is another;
    She’s so exactly like him,
      He must be her brother.”

In the midst of this hubbub, the mother entered, and at once interposed her tranquillizing influence.  She lifted Rikli from the floor, where she sat in the midst of the luggage, and called the other two to sit quietly down at her side.  On this last evening, she said, she wanted to have a little peaceful time with them; and Emma and Fred were very glad to consult her about the various questions which lay on their minds, which they had meant to ask aunty about, when Oscar so unceremoniously usurped her.