Elsli snatched up the child hastily, and tried to quiet him.
"Mamma, do tell that big cry-baby to stand on his own legs.

He'll kill Elsli at this rate; he is far too much for her to lift." Fred spoke in great excitement.
This made the child cry louder than ever, and he clung to his slender sister with such increased force, that she staggered a little and seemed about to fall.
"You really ought to put him down, my child," said the mother; "he would soon get used to it.

Come here!" and she tried to take the child from Elsli's arms.

It was harder than she expected; for the little fellow clung tight with arms and legs, and kicked with his feet and pounded with his fists, and when at last Mrs.Stein succeeded in detaching him and placing him on the ground, he flung himself upon his sister's skirts, and screamed so lustily that she took him up again, saying resignedly:-- "It's of no use; he's a very naughty little boy; and begins to call to me to carry him as soon as I get home from school." "Such a big boy as Hans ought to be able to go alone by this time, and then there is the baby besides; how do you manage to do it all, Elsli ?" "Oh, Hans is in a dreadful way if I take the baby; he screams and kicks as hard as he can, and then his mother hears him, and she comes running in, and says that she can't have such a noise, and I mustn't let the children scream so.

So I have to put the baby into the cradle to quiet Hans, and then I rock the cradle with my foot to quiet the baby." "Come into the house, Elsli," said the doctor's wife; "you look very tired.