THEY VISIT THE CLOTHING HOUSE
When Mrs. Steiner and the boys returned they found the door locked.
"Run down, Franz, and get the key. I told Fritz to leave it there if he
went out for a walk and the boy took my advice."
Franz soon returned, the door was opened and they entered, Mrs. Steiner
sinking down upon the sofa with the sigh, "Oh, those steps, those
steps!"
"Aunt Fanny, here is a letter upon the table. It is for you, and written
by Fritz," said Paul.
"By Fritz!" laughed Aunt Fanny, "gone out for a walk and left a letter
for me! Read it, Paul."
The boy opened the missive and read, each sentence meeting with comments
from his interested listeners.
"Dear Aunt Fanny: Pixy was not to blame for the dog fight; and the time
he ran into the Council House he was not to blame, because I called
'Pixy! Pixy!' I should have kept my mouth shut."
"The dear Fritz! He is right, but I am sorry he takes it so much to
heart."
"You know, Aunt Fanny, that Pixy is but a dog, and has not a man's
understanding."
"Yes, Fritz, I remember that much of my studies in natural history,"
laughed his aunt.
"I have not as much understanding as a man, either, or I would not have
brought Pixy to Frankfort."
"The boy is certainly right there."
"I am sorry that you stood and held him while we were in the buildings
and you had to run and jump when I called 'Pixy!' If he had not come he
would have been disobedient or stupid; and my father will tell you that
he is neither disobedient nor stupid. You will not have to hold his cord
again."
"Now what does he mean by saying I will not have to stand and hold his
cord again?"
"We are now on our way home," continued Paul, "and papa will be glad to
see me and Pixy."
"For heaven's sake! Has the boy run off?"
"Yes, he must mean that," replied Paul.
"Oh, he is only joking. Run to your room, Franz, and see if he has taken
his knapsack."
"Yes, and his rain-coat is gone. Shall we finish reading the letter?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Steiner with tears in her eyes.
"Dear Aunt Fanny, I thank you for your goodness, and for the mark you
gave me; and want to say that I will never again bring a dog to visit
Frankfort."
"Oh, that boy has made my heart heavy! I feel as if I will never see him
again and it is all Pixy's fault. Is that all?"
"Yes, and oh, Aunt Fanny, I wish we had not been so harsh with Fritz in
regard to Pixy," said Paul.
"Now you are trying to make me more unhappy than I am when I am enough
distressed that the boy has run away without bidding us good-bye."
"No, but we are to blame. We were as glad as was Fritz that Pixy was
with us on the way to Frankfort; then when he became a trouble we blamed
Fritz. I wish we could do something now. Perhaps the train has not left
for the Odenwald, and if we go to the depot he may be there, and we can
bring him and Pixy back."
"Oh, you dear boy, to think of this! Yes, go quickly. But hark! I hear a
step on the porch. He is at the hall door. Yes, thank heaven, the boy
has come back of his own free will!" And she ran and opened the door.
"Fritz! Fritz!" she called as she saw the tall form of her brother, and,
clasping his hand, she led him to the sitting-room. "Did you see Fritz
at the station?"
"No, is he not here?"
"He left for home without bidding us good-bye, and it is all on account
of the dog. The boys were just going to the depot to see if he is
there."
"It is no use to go. If he had been there, I would have seen him, and
Pixy would have found me."
"What are we to do about it?"
"Do nothing. It will be an experience for him to be allowed to follow
his own inclination in the matter. He will be surprised when he reaches
home to know that I am here. I am on my way to Cassel on business and
stopped off to see you and my boy."
"But I feel so anxious about him," said his sister. "I would ask the
police to see to it but am ashamed, for I had to apply to them when his
purse was lost, then when his dog was lost and now it would be to tell
them that both dog and boy are gone. Uncle Braun put a notice in the
paper about the dog, and oh dear! there seems to be no end to what that
notice brought;" and she told of the letters and the dog fight.
"I am sorry you bothered about it for there is no need. He can take care
of himself. He is eleven years old, has money in his purse, and is
afraid of nothing, so what is the need of worrying? Yet it may be that
he has not left Frankfort, and if it will be a comfort to you we will
try to find the young rascal. There are two railways which he could take
to go home, so you and the two boys can go to the Eastern station, and I
will go to the other, which will leave us plenty of time to see both
departures for the Odenwald and one of us will catch him if he is there
to be caught. Have you a schedule?"
"No, I have no need of one from one year's end to another. But suppose
he refuses to come back with us?"
"No danger of that when he hears that I am here. He will not think that
he can get back quickly enough."
Mrs. Steiner locked the hall door and they hurried away, taking the
shortest way to the two depots. It was not likely that one spy at the
one and the three at the other would miss seeing the runaway,
especially as he would be accompanied by his four-footed traveling
companion, and would perhaps be the only boy in the crowd with a dog.
"Fritz will have to travel in a freight car," remarked Paul as the three
neared the depot; "the guard will not allow Pixy in a passenger car, and
Fritz will not let his dog go in there alone."
"Oh, Paul, you should have mentioned this before! Brother Fritz will
never think of it, and the boy will be stowed in a freight car without
his father finding him, and we here, not knowing whether or not he is in
Frankfort."
"Mr. Heil will think of it, I am sure," said Franz, "for Fritz wrote
a letter home on Thursday, and in it he told them about Pixy and the
chickens."
"We can only hope so," sighed Mrs. Steiner, "and when we reach the
depot, you, Paul, can watch the freight cars, Franz can watch the
passenger cars, and I will go first into the waiting-rooms to see if he
is there. Then we can all watch the crowd upon the platform and see if
Fritz is among them."
This program was followed, but Fritz and his dog were not to be seen,
and they could only hope that Mr. Heil would be more successful.
"But I will not see him until we get home," said Mrs. Steiner, "so will
send a telegram to Fritz's mother, telling her that the boy set out for
home about noon, and when he arrives there, she would please send me a
telegram to that effect, as I am extremely anxious about him."
No sooner thought of than done. She hurried into the office, gave her
message to the operator who made quite a reduction in the number of
words, thus lessening the expense, and then the three would have set out
for home had not Paul made a study of the schedule and found that the
train which Mr. Heil had gone to watch would not leave for fifteen
minutes.
"Oh, I am glad of that!" exclaimed Mrs. Steiner. "We can board an
electric car and get there in time to tell Brother Fritz about the
freight car, and you boys can help watch for the boy."
The car came, and they lost no time in boarding it, and Paul and Franz
enjoyed the swift run through the streets.
But Mrs. Steiner was far from enjoying it. The car had to halt at so
many corners that she dreaded that the train would leave for the
Odenwald before they reached the depot, and she would have to return
home without knowing the whereabouts of her nephew.
"Oh, there is Mr. Heil on that car that has whirled past us," exclaimed
Franz. "He saw us and signaled us not to go to the depot, but to go
home."
"Now isn't that too provoking! Let us get out," and she sprang up, and
would have hurried to the platform had not the guard caught her arm.
"Do you wish to fall off and be killed, or have your limbs broken?" he
asked. "Wait until we stop at the next corner--so; now you can step off,
and in safety."
The three quickly took his advice, and waited on the curb until a car
came that was going in an opposite direction, and hurried aboard.
"I wish to get home as quickly as possible," said Mrs. Steiner, "for
Brother Fritz will have to stand outside until we come with the key. I
am afraid this has hindered him from leaving for Cassel. And oh, boys,
we are on the wrong car! See, it is turning in another direction. We
will have to get off and wait for a car to take us back."
She gave the signal, they stepped off, and again waited on the curb,
Mrs. Steiner feverish with impatience.
"I am completely bewildered or I should not have made that mistake," she
explained. "That boy's rash act of running away has upset me so that I
cannot think. There was not the least excuse for it. Surely he could
have waited until Monday, when all three would go, your time of holiday
being over. It is all the fault of that miserable Pixy."
After some delay they returned home and found Mr. Heil waiting for them.
"I am sorry you took the trouble to go to the other depot, sister," he
said kindly. "You knew that I would wait there until the train left for
the Odenwald."
"But did you see Fritz?" she asked anxiously.
"No, and no boy of about his age had bought a ticket for the Odenwald,
so he is yet here in Frankfort."
"Oh, where is the poor boy?" exclaimed Mrs. Steiner, tearfully. "I
cannot forgive myself for finding fault with his dog. You must not go
to Cassel, Fritz, until we know where he is."
"No, there is nothing to prevent my waiting for the evening train. I
have written to my wife's brother that I would pass Sunday with them,
but there was no time set to reach there."
In the meantime where were Fritz and Pixy?
Fritz had set out for home in splendid spirits. It seemed to him that he
had been away for months, and wondered if there had been many changes
during his absence. He hurried along, for he wished to stop on his way
to the depot and get a present for his little sister.
He knew that she wished a canary-bird, and went into a store to see how
much one would cost. To his surprise and delight, he found that he could
buy a singer and a cage for two marks, and he purchased both.
"Is there no one else that you would take a present to?" asked the
shop-keeper.
"Yes, I would like to take a present to my baby brother, and something
to my mother."
"What would you like?"
"A tin trumpet to my brother, but I don't know what my mother would
like."
"There is a nice trumpet, and here is a tin grater. I think she would
like it."
"Yes, and I will take it, if it and the trumpet do not cost too much. I
must have enough money left for my journey home."
It was found by counting that he would have enough without disturbing
his beloved gold-piece, and the shop-keeper strapped the three articles
on his back, drawing the grater around to his side, and the happy Fritz
set out for the depot, when a street urchin slipped up behind him and
blew a shrill blast upon the trumpet. Fritz turned quickly and at that
moment he heard a call, "Pixy! Pixy!" and the dog turned joyously and
looked back at a tall policeman who laid his hand upon the shoulder of
Fritz.
"How did you come by this dog?" he enquired, sternly.
"It belonged to my father and he gave it to me. He has no tag or muzzle
because I am only visiting in Frankfort."
"I am not asking about muzzle or tag, but wish to know if the dog's name
is Pixy."
"Yes, his name is Pixy."
"Now listen. A black dog of that name was stolen yesterday; and the
lady from whom it was stolen not only put the case in the hands of the
police, but put an advertisement in the paper, giving an exact
description of the dog."
"Yes, this is the dog," assured Fritz. "He first ran away, then was
stolen by a man."
"And the man gave him to you to take away. Is that it?"
"No. Franz and Paul and I had a hard fight to get him; and I am taking
him to the depot to go to Odenwald."
"What is you name?"
"Fritz Heil."
"And that of your father?"
"His name is also Fritz."
"So you say that the dog belongs to Fritz Heil, yet it was the Widow
Steiner who put the case in the hands of the police. How does that story
agree with yours?"
Fritz was so bewildered and frightened that he stammered over his
explanation. "Yes--no. It did run away--Yes, it was stolen; I was there,
but I am going away."
"You were where?"
"At my Aunt Steiner's."
"Does she know that you are going away?"
"No, I did not tell her. Yes, I did in my letter."
"That is a beautiful story! Now I know that you are taking her dog away
without her knowledge."
"No; she knows it," howled Fritz.
"Yes, but all the world knows how cunning dog thieves are in Frankfort.
You come with me that we may learn the straight story of how you got
this dog."
"Oh, Mr. Policeman, do not take me to prison! I would die there."
"No, not to prison, but to the Widow Steiner's. There we will hear a
full account of Pixy."
"But I do not want to go there, because I have just run off from her
house and it shames me to go back."
"I believe that, but you need not be ashamed if you are telling the
truth."
"But, Mr. Policeman, I am only taking my own dog to my own home."
"Perhaps so. We will see what Mrs. Steiner says about it," and the tall
policeman set out for 37 Bornheimer street, followed by the weeping
Fritz, and a motley crowd of onlookers.
"He has been stealing tinware," commented one of them. "While he was
about it he might as well have taken silver or something worth while."
"Poor boy, he has not been trained right by his parents," remarked a
woman standing in the door of her bakery. "People who take no care of
their children but let them run the streets must expect arrests."
This remark was so trying to Fritz that he halted to set the woman right
in regard to his parents, but the policeman bade him hurry along, and
they soon reached 37, where the returned ones were still upon the porch.
Mrs. Steiner was weeping, and Mr. Heil and the boys were anxious,
believing that Fritz had lost his way in going to the depot and was
wandering about the streets.
"Look, brother!" exclaimed Mrs. Steiner, eagerly; "look at that crowd
coming up the street following a policeman. Among them is a black dog.
Yes, it is Fritz and Pixy, and with them a policeman! What can be the
matter now?"
Fritz had one arm over his eyes, trying to hide his tears but looked out
when his captor told him that they had reached his aunt's home and there
were people on the porch.
"Oh, it is father! dear, dear father!" exclaimed Fritz in delight, and
running up the steps he was clasped in the arms of his relieved parent.
But the boy's joy was no greater than that of the dog, for Pixy danced
and pranced about his master, jumped upon him and tried to lick his
face and hands.
"It is of no use for me to ask to whom the dog belongs," remarked the
policeman as he reached the group upon the porch. "The dog tells me that
the boy has told the exact truth."
"See, Mr. Policeman, the dog does belong to papa and me, and not to Aunt
Steiner," exclaimed Fritz, jubilantly.
"Yes; and is this lady the Widow Steiner?"
"Yes," she replied, stepping forward.
"You gave a false statement in the paper, and to the police," he said in
an injured tone. "You said you had lost your dog."
"It was a misleading statement, that is true," she replied, "but many
people know me who do not know Fritz. The dog ran away from my house
while under my care, and my wish was to state correctly in a few words
where the dog could be returned if found. It was a friend who
advertised."
"It would have taken but a few words more to have said that your nephew,
Fritz Heil, had lost his dog, then when the boy told me his name and
where he had been staying, I would not have arrested him, knowing that
he was telling the exact truth."
"Yes, you are quite right, and I am sorry that my mistake has given you
trouble, and I thank you heartily. It has all turned out right. Had you
not arrested him, he would have been on his way home, and his father
here to see him."
"All right. I have nothing to say, except to tell you that when you call
upon the police to help you, you will state the case correctly."
"I, too, thank you heartily," added Mr. Heil. "You have done us a good
service."
The policeman gave the military salute and passed down the steps and
Aunt Steiner and the others went inside.
"Now tell me, Fritz, what was your reason for starting for Odenwald
with such a motley array of things upon your back? You looked like a
traveling tinker," enquired his father.
"They were presents for mother, and sister and baby brother, and the
shop-keeper said I could carry them better if strapped upon my back, and
he strapped them which I thought was very kind. I got the canary bird so
very cheap that I could not bear to go home without it."
"No wonder it was cheap! It is not a singer, the man cheated you."
Fritz looked so sad over this information that his aunt tried to think
of something to cheer him.
"Do you know, brother, that Fritz can make excellent coffee and all
three boys are learning to cook?" she said.
"No, indeed! I never imagined such a thing," he replied, looking as
surprised and pleased as the boys could possibly desire.
"Yes; they can cook, and as it is nearly time for our afternoon meal, we
will give you a sample of how they can help me."
"Set them at it as early as convenient, sister, and when finished I can
pass an hour or more with you at the forest park before starting to
Cassel, if you care to go."
"That will be charming. Fritz, you may go now and grind the coffee, and
put in a tablespoonful more, now that we are having a guest to share it
with us. Franz, you will please peel and chop the cold boiled potatoes,
and brown them nicely and cut thin slices from the cold boiled ham, and
put them upon the pink plate. Paul will please set the table, and then
go to the bakery and get a seed cake in honor of the returned prodigal."
The boys set to work and the odor of the mocha coffee as it was being
ground floated into the sitting-room.
"You always have fine coffee, sister," remarked Mr. Heil.
"Yes, it is good, and the reason is that it is genuine coffee, no
chicory or other mixture. Yet I have seen passable coffee made of poor
material by an adept. Our dear old grandmother was compelled in
war-times to make it from chicory, but would use no deception, so when
she invited friends to take supper she would not say, 'Come to afternoon
coffee,' but 'Come to chicory.'"
Paul in the meantime had set the table neatly, and had returned from the
bakery with a fine large seed cake, Mrs. Steiner having given him two
marks to pay for it.
The potatoes, ham, good brown and white bread, butter and lettuce was
now upon the table, Fritz brought the coffee, and all took seats at the
hospitable board.
Mr. Heil at his sister's request asked the blessing, then with pleasant
chat the meal progressed, the guest assuring the boys that he did not
know that he had ever enjoyed one more.
"If it would not tire you too much, sister, I would prefer that we walk
to the Forest-house, as I would like to call on the way at the Stayman
cloth house and leave an order for cloth and ready-made clothing."
"I prefer walking this lovely evening."
"And oh, papa, we are glad to go there, for we know Mr. Stayman! We
spent part of the time with him watching the fireworks," exclaimed
Fritz. "Do you know, papa, that he is a tailor?"
"Yes, and I hope that you will have as good knowledge of how the work
should be done as has Mr. Stayman when old enough to go in business."
"But I would rather be a merchant."
"He is a merchant and a successful one; and his success lies in the fact
that he understands thoroughly how the work of making the clothing
should be done."
"He invited us to come to his store and I am glad you will take us. Will
we see him on his work-table with a needle in his hand?"
"I am not sure; but if so, we should have double respect for him, for it
would prove that he is not above his business. You appear to have the
foolish opinion that it is the kind of work that demeans or elevates a
man. I know of but two classes of men, the worker and the drone. The
king who rules wisely and the tailor who does honest work are pleasing
to God in the position in which he has placed them. But the man who
thinks the world owes him a living and will not work but begs from door
to door is like a parasite that lives upon the fruit tree."
As soon as the meal was finished the boys helped Mrs. Steiner put the
place in order, and they set out for the Forest-house, Mr. Heil leading
the way with his sister, the boys following, and Pixy enjoying the
freedom of running along without the restriction of his cord, but always
keeping near his master. They halted at the house of Uncle Braun and
invited him to meet them at the Forest-house which he gladly accepted;
then they passed on and soon stood before the palatial clothing house of
the Staymans and to the surprise of the boys it was the very one which
Franz and Paul had visited and near which Fritz was robbed. They were
met by a young man, dressed in the latest-style business-suit, who
welcomed them courteously and asked how he could serve them.
"Please tell Mr. Stayman that Frederick Heil of the Odenwald wishes to
leave an order with his firm," said Mr. Heil.
Mr. Stayman appeared immediately, and welcomed them all cordially.
"Come to my office," he said, "and I will give you comfortable seats;
we can converse there without interruption." They followed him, passing
through a small room lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling, and while
Mr. Heil gave his order, one of the young clerks took Mrs. Steiner and
the boys over the building.
"Where are the workrooms?" asked Fritz.
"They are in a large building back of this one. Here we have only suits,
and cloth in the piece."