leased to have my boys call him that, will you not,
cousin?" she enquired, turning to the old man.

"I certainly will, and now let us set out, for we have much to see."

"Can I take Pixy, Uncle Braun?" asked Fritz.

"Yes, you can take him, for we are not going into any buildings to-day,
but when we visit them he cannot go unless he wears jacket and trousers
and walks upright."

Fritz was jubilant over this and the three rushed for their hats, and
they were off. Mrs. Steiner, standing upon the porch, looked after them
until they were out of sight.

"Thank good Braun that I can stay at home this afternoon for I have many
things to do that cannot be put off any longer," she said to herself, as
she set to work to put the place in order and then go out to buy things
to cook for supper.

CHAPTER VI

A WHOLE DAY OF SIGHT-SEEING

The four descended the steps, Fritz leading Pixy, and were soon in the
main streets of the city, where the constant hurrying of feet and the
rush of traffic was a continual subject of wonder to the country boys.
In the windows of the large stores they saw so many things that were new
to them, some of them from foreign countries, that they could scarcely
move on and Uncle Braun waited patiently, answering innumerable
questions.

"Is this the first time that you have ever seen diamonds, pearls and
other precious gems?" he asked when they remained long at the windows of
a large jewelry store.

"Yes," Fritz replied, "our parents have none, nor have our neighbors.
Oh, how beautiful they are! and just see the price that is upon the
earrings."

"Yes, ten thousand marks."

"Ten thousand marks," echoed Franz. "Why, that would buy a house and
garden in the Odenwald."

"Does any person except queens and other royal people wear such things?"
asked Paul.

"Certainly! There are many people in Frankfort who buy and wear them. If
you are surprised at the price of the earrings, I am sure that you would
be more astonished did we know the price of the diamond necklace."

"Uncle Braun, do you suppose that it was this jewelry store that was
robbed a few weeks ago?" asked Fritz. "I saw an account of it in a
Frankfort paper."

"I cannot say. There are many jewelry stores here, also many thieves."

"Oh," cried the boy, at the remembrance of his own loss, "my new, bright
gold-piece--"

"With the likeness of Kaiser Frederick upon it!" completed Franz. "You
see we can repeat that wail all right."