"How do you like my appearance?" asked Siddy, crossing her arms.
"Charming," exclaimed Benno. "I had no idea that I had such a pretty sister."
Siddy made a rustic curtsy. "Where have you kept your eyes, you foolish boy? Now we must help in the household. What work can you give your new servants, Mother Marguerite?"
The woman simpered. "There is the fodder for the cows to be steeped in hot water," she said.
"No more water, we have had enough of that. Come, Benno, we will set the table in the garden under the fruit-trees, and then carry out the curds and cream."
They went into the room, and brought out a small bench placing it on the grass-plot, under an apple-tree; then they hurried back for the plates and spoons. The woman and the maid carried out the table with a large bowl of milk, and some rye bread. Siddy tripped about nimbly, laid the tablecloth, and carefully smoothing it out, placed the colored earthenware upon it.
"Look!" whispered Benno, pointing with a troubled air to the worn pewter spoons.
"We can wash them, and dry them with green leaves," advised his sister.
They ran with the spoons to the pump, and rubbed them hard with leaves, but they could not polish them.
"That's just their way," said Benno, consolingly; "it is part of a country picnic."