"You intend making a change in the character--or rather the calling--of these lately arrived guests of ours." Caspar pointed to the storks.

"That is your intention, is it not ?" "Well ?" "They are now soldiers--_officers_, as their title imports--adjutants!" "Well ?" "They will have no reason to thank you for your kind intentions.

The appointment you are about to bestow on them can scarce be called a promotion.

I don't know how it may be with birds, but I do know that there are not many men ambitious of exchanging from the military to the civil service." "What appointment, Caspar ?" "If I'm not mistaken, you mean to make _mail-carriers_ of them--_postmen_, if you prefer the phrase." "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Karl, in a tone expressive of gratification at the clever manner in which Caspar had declared himself.

"Right, brother! you've guessed my scheme to the very _letter_.