Mr. Burton asked his wife, in German, whether the Lawrence-Burton assurance was not charmingly natural, and Mrs. Burton answered in the same tongue that it was, but was none the less deserving of rebuke, and that she felt it to be her duty to tone it down in her nephews. Mr. Burton wished her joy of the attempt, and asked a number of searching questions about success already attained, until Mrs. Burton was glad to see Toddie come out of a brown study and hear him say:
"I fink that placesh where the river is bwoke off izh the nicest placesh."
"What does the child mean?" asked his aunt.
"Don't you know where we went last year, an' you stopped us from seein' how far we could hang over, Uncle Harry?" said Budge.
"Oh—Passaic Falls!" exclaimed Mr. Burton.
"Yes, that's it," said Budge.
"Old riverzh bwoke wight in two there," said Toddie, "an' a piece of it's way up in the air, an' anuvver piece izh way down in big hole in the shtones. That'sh where I want to go widin'."
"Listen, Toddy," said Mrs. Burton. "We like to take you riding with us at most times, but to-day we prefer to go alone. You and Budge will stay at home—we shan't be gone more than two hours."
"Wantsh to go a-widin'!" exclaimed Toddie.
"I know you do, dear, but you must wait until some other day," said the lady.