"Don't tease him, Franz, my boy," remarked Uncle Braun in a kind, yet
rebuking tone. "You have not as yet had the opportunity to show us how
you would act if all your money was stolen. Fritz has nothing to be
ashamed of that he was deceived by the smooth-tongued stranger. I will
tell you what happened to a baker, a middle-aged man, who has lived in
Frankfort all his life. He was sitting in his bakery one day when he
heard the footsteps of a man going up the steps of his house, which had
two front doors, one leading into the bakery and the other up the
stairway to the bedrooms.

"He went to the door and looked up and there was a man who appeared to
be going up, but was in reality coming down backwards. He halted when he
heard the sound at the door.

"He had a large bundle tied up in a compact roll, consisting of bed,
pillows and bed clothing and did not appear to be in the least haste.

"'What are you doing there?' called the baker.

"'Isn't this the pawn-broker's shop?' asked the stranger.

"'No, that is on the next square. You go to the corner and turn to the
right, and there you are.'

"'Thank you!'

"The baker returned to his bakery and the man went out and down the
street. When night came and the family went to retire there was no bed
or bed-clothing in the baker's room. The clever thief had made off with
them."

Fritz seemed somewhat comforted to hear that he was not the only one who
had been outwitted.

Farther on the boys took keen interest in a bicycle race.

"Oh, look at them!" Fritz exclaimed. "A whole regiment of them! How can
the dealer sell so many?"

"He must sell a great many more than you see there in order to pay the
rent of his store."

"Yes," agreed Fritz, knowingly, "the rents are high with us, too; there
is one man in our village who pays one hundred and eighty marks for the
rent of his store."

"That is quite a sum of money, my boy," smiled Uncle Braun, "but look at
this small store we are passing. I happen to know that the rent of it is
ten times your one hundred and eighty marks."

"Is that possible? Then if he got but a mark for each pair of shoes, he
would have to sell eighteen hundred pairs in a year to make the rent."

"I don't know how many he sells, but I do know that he has been there
for a long time and does a flourishing business."

"Oh, listen to the music in this store!" exclaimed Paul, "singing, and
no singer to be seen."

"I thought it would surprise you. Th