Page:The New-Year's Bargain (1884).djvu/148

 "Fritz? Who is he?"

"Don't you know?" said Max. "That's our big brother, who went away a great while ago, when Thekla and I were very little. He was coming back; but, then, he didn't come. I don't know why. And now the Grandfather says he never will. Is it because the sea is such a pleasant place?"

"I don't know," replied September, dreamily,—"I don't know why he doesn't come. But if you never saw the sea, how in the world am I going to make you understand my story?"

"It's very big,—I know that," ventured Max,—"and all water."

"Did you ever so much as see a lake or a pond?"

"No, only the little spring down there," answered Thekla. "Oh, I know! (joyfully). I can guess! It's a great, great deal of water, thousands and thousands of times more than there is in our rain-water tub!"