EARLY next morning, after rattling through the hall with his big boots and spurs, Jul opened the schoolroom door, whence he had heard loud sounds of practising. He knew Miss Hanenwinkel gave no lessons so early in the day and was most surprised to see Lili at the piano, Willi eagerly awaiting his turn to play.
"What is the matter with you?" Jul called in to them. "Is this the beginning of another dreadful scheme of yours?"
"Be quiet, Jul, we don't want to lose any time," Lili replied, in deep earnest.
Jul gave a loud laugh and went his way. He met Miss Hanenwinkel below, and asked her, "What has struck the twins, I wonder? Are they really trying to become virtuous all of a sudden?"
"Children seven years old sometimes succeed better in that, than those of seventeen, Mr. Jul," was the curt answer.
Jul had to laugh, as he went towards the front door. Here he met his mother, who was just about to use this early hour and go to the physician to find out if Dora's injury was really serious. The aunt's frightened words had made her anxious, and she wanted to know if the wound might have serious consequences for the little girl.
"Somebody seems to be playing on the piano, Jul," said his mother. "What can it mean at this early hour?"
"Dear mamma, I think the world is coming to an end," the son replied. "Lili is rushing through her finger exercises as if they were giving her supreme delight, and Willi stands besides her burning to do the same."
"This is curious," remarked the mother, "for only yesterday, Miss Hanenwinkel complained that Lili was even too lazy to practise her little piece, not to speak of her finger exercises, which she would not touch at all."
"As I said before, mamma, the world is nearing its end," concluded Jul, taking leave of his mother.