belong to me."

In general, the two children were excellent friends, and completely
inseparable. They were not happy unless they shared everything together
and wherever one went, the other must go too. They went regularly to
school every morning, and were always joined by two of the neighbors'
children, who went with them.

These were, the son of the shoemaker, long, bony Jost, with his little,
cunning eyes,--and the sexton's boy, who was as broad as he was long, and
from whose round face two pale eyes peered forth upon the world, in
innocently stupid surprise. His name was Blasius, nicknamed Blasi.

Often, on the way to school, quarrels arose between Dieterli and the two
other boys. It would occur to one of them to try what Veronica would do if
he were to give her a blow with his fist. Scarcely had he opened his
attack when he found himself lying on his nose, while Dieterli played a
vigorous tattoo on his back with no gentle fists. Or the sport would be to
plant a good hard snow-ball between Veronica's shoulders, with the
mortifying result to the aggressive boy, of being pelted in the face with
handfuls of wet snow, until he was almost stifled, and cried out for
mercy. Dieterli was not afraid of either of them; for though smaller and
thinner than either, he was also much more lithe, and could glide about
like a lizard before, behind and all around his adversaries, and slip
through their fingers while they were trying to catch him. Veronica was
well avenged, and went on the rest of her way without fear of molestation.
If one of the other lads felt in a friendly mood, and wished to act as
escort to the little girl, Dieterli soon gave him to understand that that
was his own place, and he would give it up to no one.