hr_?"

"If I sha'n't be in your way," said Karl, looking round the room with
somewhat wistful eyes.

We assured him to the contrary, and he promised, with unnecessary
emphasis, to come again.

"He will return; I know he will!" said Eugen, after he had gone.

The next time that Herr Linders arrived, which was ere many days had
passed, he looked excited and important; and after the first greetings
were over, he undid a great number of papers which wrapped and infolded
a parcel of considerable dimensions, and displayed to our enraptured
view of a white woolly animal of stupendous dimensions, fastened upon a
green stand, which stand, when pressed, caused the creature to give
forth a howl like unto no lowing of oxen nor bleating of sheep ever
heard on earth. This inviting-looking creature he held forth toward
Sigmund, who stared at it.

"Perhaps he's got one already?" said Karl, seeing that the child did not
display any violent enthusiasm about the treasure.

"Oh, no!" said Eugen, promptly.

"Perhaps he doesn't know what it is," I suggested, rather unkindly,
scarcely able to keep my countenance at the idea of that baby playing
with such a toy.

"Perhaps not," said Karl, more cheerfully, kneeling down by my
side--Sigmund sat on my knee--and squeezing the stand, so that the
woolly animal howled. "_Sieh!_ Sigmund! Look at the pretty lamb!"

"Oh, come, Karl! Are you a lamb? Call it an eagle at once," said I,
skeptically.

"It is a lamb, ain't it?" said he, turning it over. "They called it a
lamb at the shop."

"A very queer lamb; not a German breed, anyhow."

"Now I think of it, my little sister has one, but she calls it a rabbit,
I believe."

"Very likely. You might call that anything, and no one could contradict
you."

"Well, _der Kleine_ doesn't know the difference; it's a toy," said Karl,
desperately.

"Not a toy that seems to take his fancy much," said I, as Sigmund, with
evident signs of displeasure, turned away from the animal on the green
stand, and refused to look at it. Karl looked despondent.

"He doesn't like the look of it," said he, plaintively.

"I thought I was sure to be right in this. My little sister" (Karl's
little sister had certainly never been so often quoted by her brother
before) "plays for hours with that thing that she calls a rabbit."

Eugen had come to the rescue, and grasped the woolly animal which Karl
had contemptuously thrown aside. After convincing himself by near
examin