looked in. Upon the floor on the side of the bed occupied by Paul lay
the pillow, and on the floor by the side of Franz's place lay the sheet.
Fritz had lost his blanket during the night, and, not more than half
awake, had reached out for it and gotten his handkerchief, which he had
spread over his shoulders, and his head was resting upon the chair which
his careful aunt had placed in front of the head-piece of the lounge.

"Wake up, sleepers!" she said cheerfully. "The sun has been up this long
while. There is only one washstand, but you can take turns at it; and
there is a pitcher of cool fresh water. Now make yourselves neat as
quickly as possible that you may be ready for breakfast."

She returned to the kitchen and presently the odor of frying sausage and
steaming coffee floated into the room, and a little later the triplets
stood beside Mrs. Steiner, neat, refreshed and in splendid spirits.

"Pixy has been trying to take a bath in the pan of fresh water that I
set out for the birds," said Mrs. Steiner, "and as he could not get into
it, he dipped a foot in as does a cat. All animals try to be clean if we
give them the chance. Take that largest tin basin, Fritz, fill it with
water, dip this dust brush in it, and wash him. It will answer almost as
well as if he were put in a tub. See, he seems to understand what I am
saying and wags his tail as if to say, 'yes, little mother, all animals
love a bath, and would be clean if given the chance.'"

The boys hurried away and gave Pixy his bath which he certainly enjoyed,
and had just finished when Mrs. Steiner called them to breakfast. They
were about to take their places when Mrs. Steiner asked Fritz if he had
not forgotten something.