“Come with us to Lilly White’s room, and we’ll show you a thing or two. But we mustn’t all go together. If we do, the Fräulein will be popping down on us to be sure no mischief is brewing.”
“I’ll tell you what I will do; I will write in German ‘No Admittance’ on a big placard, and put it outside my door. What is the German, girls?” 186 “Nicht Zulassung,” said one of the girls promptly. “Write it, Lilly, in a big, bold hand.”
They went together to Lilly’s room; and she took a large square of pasteboard, and, without deigning to ask how the words were spelled, she printed in big letters:—
“NOTTZ ULLARSG.”
“There!” she said, turning it triumphantly for the others to read. Then she hung it on the outside of the door, moved a table to the door, planted a chair upon it, mounted into the chair, and peeped down through the transom to watch for the Fräulein’s coming.
The others watched her, and all business for the time was suspended.
Pretty soon they heard the pattering of the Fräulein’s little feet along the corridor, then the sudden halting before their door.
Lilly, with a beet-red face, and frantic gestures of two big red hands, motioned them to be still. They heard,—
“N—O—T—T—Z.” A significant grunt; then again, “N—O—T—T—Z;” a pause. Again, “N—O—T—T—Z U—L—L—A—R—S—G.”
“Hindoostanee? No; Indianee: Marione Parkee!” Then a little laugh, followed by,—