"
"A nutcracker," said Hunne without hesitation. Julius was his beau-ideal
of all that was best, and he thought that if he imitated Jule, and
answered quickly the first thing that came into his head, that was
guessing.
But Rolf was angry.
"How can you be so stupid, Hunne? Just think about it a little, can a nut
cover some one on his last way?"
"Why, it can cover--well--the shell covers it."
"Nonsense! and a nutcracker can not go ambling all day, can it, you stupid
child."
"Now see, mine can," said the little boy, who did not like to be called
stupid, and he tied his handkerchief round the neck of the long suffering
nutcracker and dragged it after him up and down the room, lifting it up
now and then at regular intervals.
"Oh well, yes, you think you're right; and I can't explain it because you
don't understand anything about it. Just try to think a little; can you
hear a cracker sizzling as its cooks, and will it make you hungry to hear
it?"
"If I throw a cracker into the fire, won't it burn?" said the child,
planting himself before Rolf and holding his nutcracker saucily before his
eyes.
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