While their teacher was busy with the
charade and little Hunne, the twins had drawn their chairs nearer and
nearer, and laid their two heads together over some very important
plans--so very important and engrossing that Miss Hanenwinkel soon closed
the book, with the remark that if the arithmetic were only some foolish
nonsensical trick or other, there might be some chance of their being
willing to work over it and understand it. She was probably right, for the
twins had certainly an unusual talent for tricks of all kinds. No sooner
was the lesson-hour over, than they rushed forth, and betook themselves to
the wash-house, where they stood gazing at the tubs of various sizes, and
whispering mysteriously.
At dinner-time, Julius taking out a paper, asked,
"Who can guess this excellent charade, composed by Miss Hanenwinkel?" and
he read it aloud.
He had scarcely finished when Rolf called out the answer, "July-us!"
Miss Hanenwinkel however said nothing about the lines which Julius had
composed on her name, for she was rather shy about the little slap at her
peculiarity of speech, that appeared in the last line.
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