"He's very pretty," she said in French, as she stopped before Ferdinand.
Mason broke into a laugh. "To think," said he, "that that little youngster should forbid us the use of two languages! Do you speak French, my child?"
"No," said the boy, sturdily, "I speak German."
"Ah, there I can't follow you!"
The child stared a moment, and then replied, with pardonable irrelevancy, "I'll show you the way down to the water."
"There I can't follow you either. I hope you'll not go, Miss Hofmann," added the young man, observing a movement on Caroline's part.
"Is it hard?" she asked of the child.
"No, it's easy."
"Will I tear my dress?"
The child shook his head; and Caroline descended the bank under his guidance.