afternoon and on holidays, and he would earn quite a good bit of money
directly. Marget had been trying in vain to find Fani, to come and talk
to her cousin; she was very much afraid that the great man would be
angry at being kept waiting, and Fani would lose the place.

Mrs. Stein told Marget that she would send Oscar to look everywhere for
the missing boy, and Marget went home.

Meantime, Emma had drawn her aunt into her own room, and as soon as they
were safely inside, with the door shut, she began in imploring tones:--

"Oh, aunty, help me! help me! so that no harm will come of it, and that
papa may not be angry with me, and make Fani's mother understand how
splendid it is going to be, and that Fani will be a great painter by and
by. He has gone to Basel to-day!"

"To Basel! I hope you are not in earnest, Emma!" said her aunt, much
disturbed.

"Yes, it is really true, aunty. Do go to Fani's mother and explain to
her that it's all right, and don't let her come to papa about it. I'll
tell you just how it was, and then you can tell Marget. I saw an
advertisement in a newspaper the other day, like this, 'A decorator in
Basel wants a lad, about twelve years of age, to do light work and learn
the business.' Then the address was given. I showed it to Fani, and we
both thought that it would be a good chance for him to learn to paint,
and at the same time to earn something, so that he needn't go into the
factory. Don't you remember that you said a decorator meant a
beautifier, and Fred said it meant a scene-painter? Fani can paint roses
and flowers and garlands, and he wanted awfully to go. At first he said