gion where
the Romans had met their enemies, and Churi, as Hannibal, stood
triumphant before him. Edi, heaving a deep sigh, answered nothing for
the present.

"Edi," the master said when no answer came, "I cannot understand what
sadness can be found in our topic, nor what can burden your mind, but
one thing I can see, that today you all are like a herd of thoughtless
sheep with whom nothing can be done. Kaetheli, you magpie, can you stop
a moment and listen to what I am saying? You all are going home. I have
had enough, and everyone--do you understand?--everyone takes home some
home-work for punishment. As you go out, come to my desk, one after the
other, and each will receive his special task."

So it was done, and at once the whole crowd rushed with joyous hearts
into the open. For the home-work did not at all suppress the joy that
school had closed a whole half-hour early. Outside on the playground,
the groups who had common interests at once crowded together. The
largest throng pressed around Edi, to listen with much shouting and
noise to his battle plans.

At once after leaving the schoolroom Kaetheli took Sally by the hand and
said: "I will go with you for a while, then I can finish telling you
what Marianne told Mother this morning." With this Kaetheli continued
her story, which she had begun in school, and told Sally everything that
had happened last night in Marianne's cottage. Sally listened very
quietly and never said a word. When they arrived at the garden, Kaetheli
had just finished her sad tale; she stood still for a moment and was
surprised that Sally did not say anything; then she said, "Good-bye!"
and ran away.

At the noon meal Ritz related faithfully all that had happened in
school: for now, since Sally and even Edi had received home-tasks, he
found that to be more remarkable than sorrowful. Edi seemed somewhat
dejected. When now the small, golden, roasted apples were placed on the
table, Ritz stopped his report and applied himself thoroughly to the
work of eating them. When he had cleared his plate, which was done very
quickly, he looked slyly at the plates of his brother and sister, for he
knew that the second supply of the things on the table came only after
all three had finished their first. When he looked at Sally, his eyes
stayed on her, and after he had watched her attentively for some time,
he said: "Sally, you keep on swallowing as much as you can, but you see,
nothing can go down, beca