"Do you live here?" asked little Grace.
"Here in dis garten? no, miss; I lifs oud boud t'ree mile in de country."
"That's a long walk for you, isn't it?" said Lulu.
"Nein; I don't valks, miss; ven I ish god dings to pring—abbles or botatoes or some dings else—I say to mine Shakey, 'Just hitch de harness on de horse and hang him to de stable door;' or if I got nodings to pring I tells de poy, 'Hitch him up a horseback;' den I comes in to mine vork and I tash! I don't hafs to valk—nod a shtep."
"How funny he talks," whispered Grace to Lulu; "I can hardly understand him."
"It's because he's Dutch," returned Lulu, in the same low tone. "But I can tell almost all he says. His son's name must be Jakey; the short for Jacob."
"What is your name?" asked Max.
"Hencle—Shon Hencle. I dinks you all pees come to see Miss Stanhope pe von huntred years olt; ishn't you?"
"Yes," said Rosie. "It seems very wonderful to think that she has lived so long."
The children, weary with their journey, were sent to bed early that night. Lulu and Grace found they were to sleep together in a small room opening into a larger one, where two beds had been placed for the time to meet the unusual demand for sleeping quarters. These were to be occupied by Grandma Elsie, Violet, Rosie, and Walter.