When he saw Feklitus running after Elsli in hot haste, he called out, with a sarcastic laugh:-- "Hallo, Feklitus! it's a fine thing to have somebody like Elsli to make use of, isn't it ?" For he had noticed that when Feklitus couldn't understand anything in his lessons, he always went to Elsli secretly for help, for he didn't want the big boys to know that he couldn't get along without it.
Content with this scathing sarcasm, Fred ran on to the house, where through the open door of the kitchen he saw his aunt standing by the table, stirring something in a pudding-bowl.

She was reading aloud from a paper that lay on the table before her.

"Take four large eggs, two spoonfuls of flour, and the rind of a lemon"; and she started back as Fred suddenly sprang in with a shout of delight at his good-fortune at finding her alone.

"This is splendid, aunty! Now, just hear this!" He seated himself on a high stool, spread his book upon his knees and began:-- "You know that papa once caught a bittern.

Well, I want to read you a description of it.