The Adventures of Herr Baby

was no

e house, the g

the green in

searched the

or distress him might make him very ill indeed. Poor grandfather! I can't tell you what a kind, good man he was. He had stayed a great many years in India, though he would have liked dreadfully to come home, because it was "his duty" he said, and this had made him seem older than he really was, for a hot country is very wearing out to peo

andfather isn't in. We mustn't let

ound and round the garden in every direction-mother, and auntie, and Celia, and Denny, and Fritz, and Mademoiselle Lucie, and Lisa, and Linley, and Peters, and Fran?ois, and, even at the end I believe, Monsieur Jean-Georges himself, and the rest of t

could

e could have fallen. And it was surely impossible that any one could have come into the garden and stole

er would be at the villa before long; grandfather wa

know the town, and you can tell me all about the police, and where to go to in case we don't find our darling at once, though I quite think we shall. I can't take you, Peters," for Peters was eagerly coming forward, "Sir Raymond would miss you, nor you, Lisa, for you must take care of the other chi

it very strange," said moth

etly, but her fa

she said, "as qu

of bursting into tears, took example by h

try to comfort mother. And we'll not let grandfather think there's anythin

ied, and, for the first time, there was a little quiver in her voice, and Celia ra

e Mademoiselle Lucie, I mean. But when they h

im that way;" for, without thinking, auntie had hurrie

the concierge would have been sure to see him, and

auntie, "I forgot a

o the town he must pass the way we are going, a li

," said aun

we are going?" aske

n the town where there is a picture that Baby took a great fancy to the other day. At least it was I that noticed it first, and he w

the shop is? Can

said auntie. "It is a shop of curiosities,

y well known. There are grander shops of curiosities which

ar the town, that she would go on alone to the shop, while Mademoiselle Lucie went to her brother, who, she hope

ell-known little figure it would have given her such joy to see. But no. Once or twice a child in the distance made her heart beat a little quicker, but, as soon as she got near enough to see it clearly, her hopes sank again. There were very few houses on the country road leading f

t thing I can do is to find the shop at once, and if they can tell m

k farther without seeing anything of the little truant,

little farther, then another, and-yes, there was the little old shop, looking just the same as the day they had all stood there so happily. Auntie had been walkin

It was gone! Could that have anything to do with Baby? auntie asked herself in a sort of puzzled way. Could Baby have thought of buying it? how much money had he? But it

ke an old spider, watching to see what flies were passing his way. Auntie went right in without seeing any one, but she heard voices not far off, and, in her anxiety, she went forward to a door slightly open, leading into rooms behind the shop.

"much better go at once to the

say, better go with him and carry the things, a

the old man that she remembered having seen before, looking like a very startled spider this time, as he raised his two shrivelled old arms in surprise at her appeara

breathless, "my little boy, my li

the old man with a sort

ie, "the dear bébé is here-that is to say, he cannot but be the one you are looking for. I sent him out into the little garden with his cat and my little girl, whil

ee, to walk far," said the old man, wh

office," said the young woman, in a low voic

done for the best. You shall see him, your de

said auntie, "What did he com

s jugs, the little gentleman wanted, and he had his money all rig

-I know nothing about old things. This is not our shop, Madame-I

ill a moment to

to E

said about jugs, something he had asked her to look at the day they had stood at the shop window, but which she had since forgo

he old man "two glass

, and what he had said to her about those in the shop window being like them. "And the picture?" sh

arden. The window of the little room in which

d into a little dark passage, and, at the end of it, there was another door

ment to listen-the firs

ice. "Little girl, why won't you listen? Him wants

ing her best, in her baby talk, to make this queer little stranger underst

is voice began to quiver and shake, as if he were going to cry. Aunt

aby dear," she said. "Aun

ld up his little face for a kiss. He looked very pleased, but not at all surpri

er tired, and him might have to carry her and the money-box. But you won't tell mother about the jug

ntie; "did you come off all alone to get the glass

d a little

d. And it were for the party, auntie," he added, looking up wistfully, "Lisa said mother had

e the old man was wrapping up the jugs with a great show

e boy paid yo

out the money-box with some difficulty for, having Minet under the other arm, it was not easy for him to get

e of the jugs?" au

gentleman. See here," and he held out two large si

. "And some day," she went on, "we will come to see you, and bring you some little thing for your little

little girl," said Herr Baby,

inking, of course, that he meant the young

le girl, her," he went on, pointing to the young woman, "her gottened

n the window then? Where was it? Auntie

face the other way. Auntie turned it round. Dear little face! It smiled at her again with the pretty

en Baby lifted his little face to kiss, with his rosy living lips, the picture of the child, who had once b

t would be nice to leave a sweet feeling behind one in the world long after one is dead,

re was no time

ox were already more than enough for him. And, even with her help, it was not so easy to manage at all, a

coming back in great trouble to look for auntie; for very unluckily, as she thought, sh

tie; "it would only have been giving tro

ow voice, to say nothing about the police

to frighten him a little?" said Mademois

shook h

make him understand how he has frigh

er," said Mademoiselle Lucie; "how could h

auntie. "How did you mean to ca

ooked

r'aps him thought Minet would ca

for auntie to explain to her, for she did not un

ther idea st

the old man in the shop what

consi

. Then him touched them; him climbed up on a chair in the shop and touched them, and then him showed all him's pennies to the old man;

ietly, for Baby sp

ave that pretty pictur

t like you to call her a pitcher. Him thinks her's a zeal little girl, a zeal fair

ie smile