t sounded again and the
echo from the castle-mountain repeated, "Loneli."

Apollonie opened the window completely, and putting out her head, cried:
"It is lovely of you, children that you don't want Loneli disgraced. I
thank you for justifying her. Wait a minute. I should like to do you a
favor, too."

With that Apollonie disappeared from the window. Soon after she came out
by the door with a large basket of fragrant apples on her arm. Putting
it in front of the children, she said encouragingly, "Help yourselves."

"Good gracious," cried out Lux, with one of the juicy apples between his
teeth, "I know these. They only grow in the castle-garden, on the two
trees on the right, in the corner by the fence. Do you know that, Kurt,"
he said confidentially, "I only wonder how she could get hold of such a
basket full, you know, without being--you know--" With this he made the
unmistakable motion of Mr. Trius with his tool of correction.

"What on earth do you mean?" Kurt cried out full of indignation. "Mrs.
Apollonie did not need to steal them. Mr. Trius certainly could give
her a few baskets of apples for all the shirts she sews and mends for
him."

"Oh, I see, that is different," said Lux, now properly informed.

In the shortest time the huge basket was emptied of its delicious apples
and the whole band had dispersed after many exclamations of thanks. They
all ran home and Kurt outran them all. It was important now to do his
home-work as speedily as possible, as the second expedition was to take
place a little later. When he reached the front door he noticed that
Mrs. Knippel was coming up behind him.

Running ahead quickly, he flung open the living-room door and called in,
"Take Maezli out of the way or else something horrible will happen again."

After saying this he ran away. Bruno and Mea, who were busy in the room
with their work, did not find it necessary to follow Kurt's command. If
he found it so necessary, why didn't he do it himself, they thought,
remaining seated. Maezli had risen rapidly and looked towards the door
with large expectant eyes, wondering what was going to happen. Mrs.
Knippel now entered.

"Why does something horrible always happen when Mrs. Knippel comes?"
Maezli asked in a loud voice.

Mea, quickly getting up, went out of the door, pulling Maezli after her;
to explain her hasty retreat, she said that she wanted to fetch her
mother. She simply had to take that horrible little Maezli out o