"We have had so much to do that I was not able to go," she said. "Just look, what a lot of pears we have! I have to sort them from morning till night, there are so many."
"Your shoes and stockings are all wet. It is not pleasant here. Are you not cold when you are so wet?"
"Yes, I do feel chilly sometimes; but, in general, I get very warm at this work."
At this moment Hannes gave his basket such a powerful twist that over it went, and there lay Hannes, the basket, and the pears all in a heap on the ground.
"Oh, oh!" cried Wiseli in distress; "now they are all to be picked up again."
"And this one, too," cried Cheppi, and laughed aloud as the pear that he had in his hand struck Wiseli's cheek with such force that it brought the tears to her eyes, and she turned quite white with the pain.
Scarcely had Otto seen this than he flew at Cheppi, threw him and his rake to the ground, and seized him by the nape of the neck.
"Stop, or I shall choke!" Cheppi was not laughing now.
"I want to make you remember that you will also have me to deal with in future, when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, scarlet with anger. "Have you got enough? Will you remember it now?"
"Yes, yes! Let me go!" said Cheppi, in a very humble tone.