thinking about Eric, he
said, "Are you French, like your name?"

"No, I am a German, but my ancestors were French emigrants. How old
were you when you came to Europe?"

"Four."

"Have you any recollection of America?"

"No, but Manna has. I can only remember a song which a negro used to
hum, but I can't quite recall it, and nobody can sing it to me."

As they rode up the mountain, the little man, whom they had seen at
work in the garden, stood aside to let them pass, and greeted them
respectfully. They drew up, and Roland asked Nicholas, as the dwarf was
called, why he was going home so early.

The little man replied that he was going home now at noon, and then
into the wood to get some of the new earth which Herr Sonnenkamp had
found. Up in the wood was a spring which contained iron, and Herr
Sonnenkamp had dug down and found the earth also impregnated with iron.
In this earth he had planted hydrangeas, and the flesh-colored flowers
had changed to sky-blue.

The little man could not express all his wonder at Herr Sonnenkamp, who
knew everything, and how to turn everything to account; it was no
wonder that he had grown so rich, while stupid men might go all over
the world, where millions were to be had, without ever knowing it.

But the little man took especial delight in telling them of a simple
device of his master, who always mixed juniper leaves with the earth
where he planted seeds of fruit-trees, and in that way kept away worms
and mice.

As they rode on, Eric expressed his admiration for a man, who, like a
second Columbus, was still making new discoveries in a world which
seemed already explored and parcelled out. His readiness to appreciate,
from a single example, Herr Sonnenkamp's greatness in this direction
made Roland draw himself up in his stirrups, struck with surprise as he
thought of the subject. He had never before heard his father so
praised.

"Is there no one in the neighborhood whom you would like to call upon?"
"No--or--yes, the major--but he is now at the castle. But up there in
the village the huntsman Claus lives, he has our dogs----will you go
with me to see him? I must let him know how Nora's puppies are; he was
with me an hour before you came."

Eric readily assented, and they trotted up the gentle ascent, turned
into a side path, and dismounted before a small cottage. Dogs of
various kinds came round them and jumped upon Roland; Puck also seemed
to have friends; he played with