Aunt Ninette, standing at her open window, looked down into the garden and listened with delight to the children's outbreaks. She even quietly murmured to herself, "We'll miss it, when we can't hear them any more."
The children felt in such a festive mood, that they planned the most elaborate celebrations for the coming evening, and decided to have a feast such as the garden had never seen before.
Dora entered her little chamber for the last time that night as in a dream. Tomorrow she was to become a permanent inmate of the big house, and the merry children whom she had at first watched with such longing were to be her brothers and sisters. The beautiful garden for which she had also pined was to be her playground, and she was to have a father and mother again who would carefully and lovingly watch over her. She would share the children's pleasures as well as their studies, for Lili had announced to her solemnly that she was to have real music lessons from now on. This made her especially happy.
All these thoughts flooded Dora's heart, and filled her with such happiness that she felt unable to bear it. Her father in Heaven was probably looking down at her and rejoicing with her. When she stood at the open window and looked up at her beloved stars, which gleamed so brightly, she remembered the dark hours when she had looked at them sadly and had forgotten then that her dear God in Heaven was guiding her. Dora fell on her knees and thanked the good God from the bottom of her heart for His kind providence, resolving from that hour, never to forget her father's favorite verse. Whatever life should bring, whatever anxiety would oppress her in the future, she resolved to say confidently:
"'Yet God keeps watch above us
And doeth all things well.'"
Uncle Titus and Aunt Ninette engaged their rooms again for the next summer and were already actually looking forward to their return. Uncle Titus even went so far as to extract a promise from Mrs. Kurd never to let her rooms during the summer to anybody else. He had felt so wonderfully well in her cottage, that he left it with many regrets and meant to come back.
On Monday morning, the whole family was gathered around the packed travelling carriage, and a hearty leave-taking took place on all sides. Rolf at the last moment, led Uncle Titus apart, and asked him eagerly if he might send a charade to Karlsruhe now and then. To this, Uncle Titus gave the most friendly assurance that this would please him greatly, and he promised to send the answers promptly.
Sly little Hun, who had heard the conversation, also declared at once, "I'll send mine, too!" Never doubting but that Mr. Titus's joy would be still greater then. He also thought to himself that the people of Karlsruhe would never in their lives guess his original charade, which gave him great satisfaction.
Dora and Paula returned to the garden, arm in arm, singing gaily:
"We'll never take leave of each other again."