Pixy's Holiday Journey

shed breakfast the doorbell rang, and she went to the door, o

here?" she as

me to their doors," he said in a kindly tone. "They should look upon us as protect

"one cannot deny that when a policema

e. I only came to enquire if th

He is my brother's so

interest at the tall, dark man who had such piercing black eyes and a moustache so large that Fritz told his au

of these boys is

hide Pixy from the eyes of the law. But Pixy was not willing to be obscur

hough he has no tag. However that is no harm, so long as h

er is a clothing mer

now of him. Did you lose

as stolen

ake you to the pol

rested me?" asked the boy,

e man. "You are only wanted as witness. We

you can to help. Do you thin

and down the steps they went, Franz and Paul lo

by the police commissioner

tle man. How did the churl

but a pleasant gentlem

t gentleman. How was he dr

oth coat and vest, and although it was a

e him well as to clothing. N

hair and black eyes that looked quickly about him l

ell me about yo

e it to me at

eed to tell me

cause in it is a tiny c

tz, from his mot

know this. Descri

and has a bright clasp,

th my pock

s this it?" and he held up

he same shape,

?" holding

boy joyously an

l me what

to enumerate the coin; he ha

little man. Tell me, do you

, only his overcoat was not

sure enough, there was your fine gentleman partaking of a good dinner washed down by a bottle of good wine at your expense. Your gold-piece is safe and one of the dollars. He used the other

dy again as I did that

lookout all the t

se, we should not trust entire strangers too much, and should carry our money in a secure place. The safest is a pocket on the inside of you

and the gold-piece, for he had it again, when he thought it was gone forever. The policeman took him i

have my gold-piece and my pocket

y back, that would be a

ei

the boy. "Isn't

stlessness. Franz and Paul had gone out to walk around the square, and left the door open a little way and while I was in the kitchen to see if t

t to offer, and when Franz and Paul came they, too, were deeply worried over the

o?" they asked

run to the station-ho

the thief and ma

lly got your gold-piece?

nly one to blame. If I had left him at home, instead of bringing him to Frankfort without papa's

"Papa and mamma and little sister love him so, and even

is aunt, putting her hand upon his shoulde

nger we wait, the further away he will be,

was a carpenter with his

hree halted and looked up in his face. "A beautiful,

," and the boys ran along aga

ld woman, not heeding the tearful eyes of Fritz. "The

et, and they ran in breathless haste to see it, but alas! it was not Pixy, for while re

a gentleman, coming to the door of a store; but when Fritz explained that he

" he said. "Stray dogs and other animals are taken ther

n good hands until I ca

people who will steal dogs in order to get a reward. But your dog may only be lost, and the best way

, "Good day, doctor, what important bu

boys were so delighted to see him that

g answering to the name of Pixy has strayed away, and will promise a reward to anyone who will bri

or them. She was sad to see that Pixy was not with them, but cheered Fritz by saying that Uncle Braun generally succeeded in what he undertook, and all ate

ce, and not wandering the streets, hungry and looking for me, I would not feel so badly! but

xy may be. Do not cry any more, my darling, or you will be si

he might track us, but we ca

ay find his way home, as he did the

rrow?" asked Paul with

ughts from

arch o

day, and it would be of no advantage to you or the dog. Let us go this afternoon to the zoological gardens and see the ma

he boy's mind from his loss of the dog so well as di

t dinner. Then they went to see the splendid crested pea-fowls that were spreading their brilliantly tinted fans on the green lawn. As they passed a company of gay-plumaged parrots they were crying, "Dora! Dora!" and Mr

s name is," she

me?" he asked, g

the reply, followed

shing her sides with her tail and uttering low growls. The floor of the cage was of sand and stretched upon it was the king of beasts, his great head upon his paws, and his savage eyes resting upon the b

r than the lion's," sai

Franz impatiently. "You should be glad that your dog is run

ot keep from crying when I think of the

if it were a kitten. He is now a great, grown lion, but he was born in this garden, and crowds came to see him and

up that moment, put his hand in the cage

ys so tame?

native ferocity; I would not dare to put my hand in his cage th

re the monkeys lived and played as merrily as if in their native haunts; running over the branches of the tree in the centre and swinging from th

it makes one's head giddy to watch them. I like that little fellow that is so playful and good-natured. Now a lady

in his mouth, swelling out his jaw in a comical manner while his little, sharp eyes were watching the other monkey. But alas! the old ty

e wiped his heated forehead; when in a flash the little monkey he had so pitied rushed down, grasped

Oh, see! he is tearing off the blue ribbon band, and biting pieces out of the rim a

second on the floor, it was brought to the rungs by the pole and Fritz secured it. But little remained of the rim, and what there was of it was ragged; and when he put

ey can add to their collection to-day and that is the pechrogel, for surely you, poor child, are that unluck

m here. It makes me sick to s

e birds. That is my favorit

but Mrs. Steiner could not look at them, and asked the boys to stay but a little while, but they could halt at the tanks of the South American alligator,

all birds singing, chirping and chattering, and Mrs. Steiner pointed out several which should have

in pictures," said Franz. They gazed long at the wise looking owls who were blinking on a wall of masonry, which represented an old tower; then turned their attention to

le, and upon another a Golden

ying an organ in his trunk. See, he is setting it down; n

mal musician hold out his trunk for pay. Fritz gave him one of his beloved nickels, which was immediately passed to the keeper, and when Mrs. Steine

and after watching them as much time as they could spare they passed on to see the giraffe, and from thence to the pen of the zebra. They were earnestly engaged in counting its beautiful stripes when from a great tent near they heard the sound of some wild and warlike instrument which seemed to serve as a summons, for people w

heir regret they were advised to leave in the Odenwald. It was with intense interest they watched the many different exploits exhibited in the one-hour

ey finished, Mrs. Steiner upon glancing at her watch

ee the lions fed,

f a long pole a piece of raw beef. The lion sprang against the stout iron bars which made the cage tremble, and reached out his terrible claws as if to grasp not only the meat but the keeper who was watching a suitable moment to toss in

age to eat it. When the boys returned to Mrs. Steiner she said, "Now we have

that I don't think I could remember any more," and to this Fra

that Aunt Steiner had selected had been so abundant and g

ied Paul excitedl

boy, reddening wi

g, with head and tail depressed from hun

him. As if electrified Pixy raised his head, and barked from joy as he struggled to break away from the rough

, "Pixy is mine and y

man. Let go the rope, or I will give you a blow upon the h

ope until knocked down; whereupon Franz and Paul ran behind the boy, pulled him backward on the ground, the three jumped forward, and two of them

m fright; but summoned strength to call "Help! Hel

an when he could understand the fight enough t

g boy, "and these three rascal

t Pixy from the Odenwald. We came to

thered around; and the big boy rushed away, disappearing around

his dog. He fought a hard bat

n, perhaps disfigured for life. And see his nice suit of clothes all dusty,

dd to his appearance. His aunt had intended stopping at a store on their way home to get

to-day; and why should we care more for the people in the store than on the str

you can wash the blood from your face and hands and as much as we c

roud of his new hat, and glad to leave th

ungry and tired Pixy a plate of good bread and milk, which he ate g

Aunt Steiner prepared, and how good the restful home to the weary ones, and how