"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.