street," said a policeman whom they accosted. "Face about and enquire
of policemen and postmen whom you meet, and in time you will get there."

This they did and when they reached 37, Mrs. Steiner was on the porch
looking for them. They ran up the steps and Franz and Paul left
explanations to Fritz, who fell upon her neck weeping, and sobbing, "Oh,
Aunt Fanny, it is gone, all gone!"

"What is gone? Tell me, my little Fritz. You frighten me."

"My pocketbook, with my beautiful, bright gold-piece with the picture
of Kaiser Frederick on it, and my two hard dollars, and my two
mark-pieces--and my nickels; all are gone!"

"But, my pet, suppose you have lost your pocketbook, that is not saying
that it cannot be found. There are plenty of honest people in the world
who would be glad to return it if they could find the owner. We will
search the papers and we may see in the 'found' column that some one has
it, and will give it up to you."

"But, aunt, it is not an honest person but a thief who has it. I had no
idea that anybody could steal from me," and he poured forth the whole
story, concluding with, "Oh, my beautiful, bright gold-piece, with the
face of Kaiser Frederick upon it!"

"Stolen! Dear Fritz, that is an entirely different thing from being
lost. I, too, would never have thought of you allowing yourself to be
robbed, for you spoke of reading so much about pick-pockets. It is
evident that your dog was a better judge than his master. He had no
confidence in the man, while you almost gave him your pocketbook."