“I don’d got it some nerve to knock me my drouples oudt mit der fist. Liebe Frau——”
But Katrina had grabbed him and pushed him back to a sitting posture.
“Iss it to dreat a visidor righdt you act like dot?” she cried. “I vill handt you vone auf der kopf oof you don’d make some vakings oop und act mit resbect.”
“Vat iss der name?” asked Fritz, displaying a feeble interest in the baron.
“Villum, Baron von Schnitzenhauser,” answered the baron. “Vat iss der madder? Some oof der shildren sick?”
“Kindern ve haf none,” answered Fritz.
“Haf you some cattles on der range?”
“Cattles ve haf nod, neider kinder. Ach, du lieber, vat a hardt time I don’d know. I dry to do der righdt t’ing mit eferypody, und pecause I owe Penner, he makes me do der wrong t’ing, oder he takes from Katrina und me avay der leedle house vere ve lif.”
“Shut oop such talks!” cried Katrina. “Der Dutch courage don’d make some helps mit you. I go by der kitchen now to ged us der paron some subber. Shpeak mit him, Fritz, vile I peen avay.”
“Liebe Frau,” begged Fritz, stretching out his hands, “gif us first der schnapps.”