Oscar had a great deal of business on hand.  He must see the Fink boys and fix the day for the Festival.  Then, Feklitus was to come to-day, and he must be met at the station.  They had put off the Festival till his arrival, for he would be one countryman more, and that was worth counting.  Oscar had written him that there were three good hotels near the station; the Bunch of Grapes, the Eagle, and the Morning Star.  A little farther on, down by the Rhine, was a magnificent house, as large as the church and the school-house at home put together; yes, and six dwelling-houses besides.  It was called the Crown Prince.  There were Rhine baths there, and many guests came for the sake of the bathing; perhaps this hotel was rather more expensive than the others.

Mr. and Mrs. Bickel immediately decided in favor of the Crown Prince, on account of the name, which certainly suited perfectly for their son, and also because of the acquaintances he might make there.  Of course, there would be only the best of company there, since only those would go who could afford to pay high prices.  It was proper, too, to show people that their son was a person who could afford to stay at the most expensive place.  Oscar was therefore requested to engage a room for Feklitus at the Crown Prince.

When the time came for the children to go out and occupy themselves as they pleased, Oscar went off like a shot.  He and the Fink brothers were now such fast friends that they could not pass one day without meeting, and had promised to remain intimate all their lives long.  Oscar had never had such friends before.  When they were together the hours flew like minutes, for they had a thousand interests in common—­their plays, their plans, their wishes for the future; they talked over everything together.

When the hour came for Feklitus to arrive, they started for the station together.  In spite of the friendliness with which the Fink boys met the new-comer, the greeting was rather a one-sided affair, for Feklitus was not accustomed to making friends with strangers.  His trunks were handed over to the omnibus-driver, and the four boys proceeded to the hotel on foot.  Here he was shown to a very large room, furnished in splendid bright red satin, and with windows higher than the doors of most Buchberg houses.

Oscar began directly to tell Feklitus the arrangements that were to be made to-day in preparation for the great Festival to-morrow.  The flag-staff must be set in a hole in the ground, and held firm by stones placed close around its base, so that there would be no delay in the morning.  Then he told him whom he had found to join the society and take part in the Festival.

Feklitus’ nose went up in scorn.

“A fine set of people you have collected! and all from the small cantons, too!” he exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” cried Oscar, angrily.  “Who was it that wanted to put on the banner, ’Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity’?”