Part 27 (1/2)

”Especially cousins,” Christine said, demurely.

After thanking her very warmly for her kindness, the Barclays started out, and bought a variety of things which they thought might be useful. They also bought a pretty gold watch and chain, to give to Christine as a parting present.

The next morning they answered, as usual, to their early roll call; and then, returning at once to their lodgings, changed their clothes for those which Ralph had purchased. It was agreed that they should not say goodbye to Christine's mother; in order that, whatever she might suspect, she might be able to say that she knew nothing of any idea, on the part of her lodgers, to make their escape. Then Christine herself came in, to say goodbye; and went half wild with delight, at the present. Then she said goodbye, kissed the boys--without any affectation of objecting to it--and then went to a window, to watch if they went safely down the street.

The boys had no uneasiness, whatever, upon their own account--for they had before pa.s.sed so easily, among the Prussian troops, that they felt quite confident in their disguise--but they were uncomfortable as to Tim, whose inability to answer questions would have at once betrayed them, had anyone addressed him. They had not ventured to bandage up his face, as if wounded; as he would have naturally, in that case, had a military pa.s.s. As the best thing they could think of, they had shoved a large lump of cotton into one of his cheeks--which gave him the appearance of having a swelled face--and had instructed him to frequently put his hand up to it, as if in great pain. Tim had plenty of shrewdness, and acted his part admirably.

They pa.s.sed across the bridge of boats, without question; and into the railway station, which is just opposite its end. Here soldiers and other officials swarmed; but the three walked along carelessly, the two boys chatting together in German, Tim walking with his hand up to his face, and giving an occasional stamp of pain. He sat down with Percy on a seat in the station, while Ralph went to the little window where tickets were being delivered. There were a good many people waiting and, when it came to Ralph's turn, and he put the papers in at the window, and asked for three third-cla.s.s tickets to Wiesbaden, the clerk scarcely glanced at them; but handed the tickets over, without a question.

They then went into the third-cla.s.s waiting room, and sat down.

There were a good many peasants, and others there; and when the doors opened for them to go on to the platform, and enter the carriages, they saw it was hopeless to try and get a carriage to themselves. They did, therefore, the best they could; putting Tim next to the window, while Percy sat next to, and Ralph opposite to him. The rest of the compartment was filled with country people.

”He seems in great pain,” a good-natured peasant woman said, to Ralph; as Tim rocked himself backwards and forwards, in his anguish.

”Yes, he is very bad,” Ralph said.

”Toothache?” asked the woman.

”Worse than that,” Ralph said, gravely, ”an abscess in the jaw. He has just been to the hospital.”

”Poor fellow!” the woman said. ”Why does he not poultice it?

”I should advise you to poultice,” she said, addressing Tim.

Tim gave a grunt--which might have meant anything--and Ralph said, in a whisper:

”Don't talk to him. Poor uncle, he is so bad tempered, now, it puts him in a rage if anyone speaks to him; because it hurts him so, to answer. At ordinary times, he is very good tempered; but now, oh!”

and Ralph made a little pantomime, to express the extreme badness of Tim's temper.

”You are not of Wiesbaden, are you?” the woman asked. ”I do not know you by sight.”

”No,” Ralph said; ”we are from Holzhausen, a village some eight miles upon the other side of Wiesbaden.”

”Ah!” the woman said, ”I have a sister living there; surely you must know her. She is the wife of Klopstock, the carpenter.”

”Surely,” Ralph said, ”she is my neighbor; everyone knows her. She is very like you.”

”Well now, you are the first person who has ever said that,” the woman said, surprised. ”I am so short, and she is so tall.”

”Yes, she is tall--very tall,” Ralph said, very gravely; ”but there is something about the expression of your eyes which reminds me of Mrs. Klopstock.

”Yes, the more I look at you, the more I see it,” and Ralph looked so earnestly, at the woman, that Percy had the greatest difficulty in preventing himself going off into a shout of laughter.

”I wonder I have never seen you, at Holzhausen,” Ralph continued.

”Well,” the woman said, ”it is years since I have been there. You see, it is a long way, and my sister often comes into Wiesbaden, and I see her; but in truth, her husband and I don't get on very well together. You know his temper is--” and she lifted up her hands.

”Yes, indeed,” Ralph said. ”His temper is, as you say, terrible.

Between ourselves, it is so well known that we have a saying, 'As bad tempered as Klopstock the carpenter.' One can't say more than that--