“Then, dear,” said Aunt Clarissa, “we shall have to wait till some other time; but I will call you to come to me in my room as soon as I can find a quiet time.  There is no hurry, I’m sure.”

So it was put off again.

CHAPTER V.

GREAT PREPARATIONS.

The day had come for the expedition to Cologne.  It was a perfect day.  The sky was blue and the sun shone bright.  The children had a delightful trip, and the zooelogical garden was beyond all expectation interesting.  Nevertheless, when they went to bed that night, each was a little dissatisfied on looking back over the day.  Each thought:—­

“It was splendid! but what a shame!”

Yet each was thinking of a different disappointment.

When they went on board the steamboat in the morning, Mrs. Stanhope said:—­

“Now, all come and sit here quietly with me; there are so many passengers to-day that it will not do for you to be running about.”

This prevented Oscar from carrying out his plan of going through the crowd, to find as many fellow-countrymen as he could, whom he could invite to his great Festival.

Emma had cherished a hope that by some unexpected arrangement it would turn out that the boat would stop for a little while in sight of the ruined castle, and she had brought pencils and paper, so as to be ready for the fortunate moment, if it should come.  She was greatly disappointed when the boat shot swiftly by the spot, so that she hardly caught even a glimpse of the chosen view.  Fani glanced at her despondently, with a look which said:—­

“You see I was right.  There’s nothing to be done about it.”

On entering the gardens, Mrs. Stanhope said again that they must all keep together.  No one must linger behind, nor hurry before, or they might get lost; and they must not touch anything in the garden.

This was a blow to Fred, and took away most of his satisfaction in seeing the animals; and his martyrdom did not cease while they were in the gardens.  Here he heard great buzzing and humming in a bush, and he longed to see the wonderful insects that made it.  There he saw bright-colored butterflies fluttering about the flowers; on one side red-gold beetles were creeping in the grass before his eyes; on the other some huge lizards were sunning themselves on a rock.  He must pass by all these attractions; not stop a moment to examine them, not touch one of all this multitude of treasures.  It was almost too much for him.  He could scarcely keep his hands off.

Elsli walked silently along, scarcely able to enjoy anything she saw, for thinking:—­

“They are all waiting for me; and I shall not come all day.”

And so it was that all five, in spite of the enjoyments of the day, went to bed at night with the feeling, “What a shame!”

But the next morning the thoughts of disappointment had passed away, and they came out to their recreation in the garden with happy plans for the day.