t out
there during the weekly sweeping, looked as restless and out-of-place as
Hunne himself.

He spent a long time looking for his mother and he found her at last
up-stairs in the attic, but she sent him down at once, for she was busy
with the clothes for the wash. "There, dear, go and find Paula; perhaps
she is not busy just now." Hunne found Paula at the piano.

"Go away, Hunne, I must practise," said she. "I have not time to guess
your riddles; there comes Miss Hanenwinkel; ask her."

"Miss Hanenwinkel," cried the little boy, "my first you can eat but not
drink."

"O spare me, Hunne" interrupted the governess, who seemed in a hurry. "If
you break out into charades too, what will become of us? I have not a
moment to waste. See, there is Mr. Julius just getting off his horse; ask
him."

Off ran Hunne.

"Jule, nobody will guess my riddle, and even Miss Hanenwinkel is too busy,
so she sent me to ask you."

"Well, what is it, my little man? out with it," said Jule good-humoredly.

So the child repeated his "you can eat but not drink," and then stopped
short.

"Well, go on! What comes next?" said his brother, "what is the rest?"

"You must make the rest, Jule; the whole is nut-cracker."

"Oh yes, I see; that is all right. Now look here; since Miss Hanenwinkel
sent you to me to guess for her, I will send one to her by you. Now say
it over and over until you have learned it. It is rather long:"

"First cut short your laughter for me,
Then spell me a _nun_ with an _e_,
Shut quickly with meaning, one eye,
Then add me an _el_, and--good-bye--
Good-bye till I meet you again."

It did not take Hunne long to learn the lines, and he started off at once
to find the governess. She was sitting with Wili and Lili in the school
room, patiently trying to get them to finish their examples; but they were
both so absent-minded, that she was sure that they were planning something
extraordinarily mischievous. In rushed the little Hunne:

"A riddle, Miss Han--"

"No, positively no! This is not the proper time to bring me things to
guess."

The voice was very firm, almost severe, but Hunne had Jule to back him, so
he was full of courage, and he kept repeating;

"Jule told me to."

"Well, say it then quickly," said the governess, relenting a little.

And Hunne repeated the riddle very slowly but correctly.

Now Miss Hanenwinkel was a native of Bremen, and therefore very quick at
repartee, and