CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE v I. THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES 1 II. JONITZA GETS INTERESTED 7 III. THE TRIP TO THE COUNTRY 13 IV. THE JOURNEY'S END 22 V. GETTING ACQUAINTED 26 VI. AN EXCURSION 33 VII. ST. GEORGE'S DAY 38 VIII. THE CASTLE OF STEPHEN THE GREAT 47 IX. A SPINNING BEE 52 X. NEW PLANS 59 XI. IN THE CARPATHIANS 62 XII. IN THE CARPATHIANS (CONTINUED) 70 XIII. LEAVING THE MOUNTAINS 77 XIV. THE CAPITAL OF ROUMANIA 86 XV. THE NATIONAL DANCE 92 XVI. AT THE MARKET 99 XVII. GOOD-BY 105 List of Illustrations PAGE "OFFERED HIM HIS HAND." (_See page 23_) _Frontispiece_ "'WE STOOD AS IF PARALYZED'" 45 "IT WAS ONLY MARITZA" 51 "THERE . . . LAY TWO LONG SHINY SNAKES" 72 "'WILL YOU NOT LET ME TAKE YOU HOME IN THE CAR?'" 100 "SOMETHING CAREFULLY COVERED WITH A SHEET WAS CARRIED MYSTERIOUSLY INTO JONITZA'S ROOM" 109 Our Little Roumanian Cousin CHAPTER I THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES Jonitza lay sprawled out on the warm carpet in the living-room near a big brick stove that reached almost to the ceiling. Beside him were his playthings and two picture books with fancy covers, but he kicked his slippered feet discontentedly at them, until his mother, seated at the other end of the room, arose, put down her sewing, and with a scarcely audible sigh, picked them up and laid them on the table. Jonitza paid no attention. Ever since he had been seriously ill the month before, he had grown accustomed to having people wait on him. He now turned on his back and began tracing in the air with his finger the pretty stenciled patterns that covered the walls. Tiring of that, he started beating a monotonous tattoo with one foot, until his mother, with the faintest shade of impatience, said: "I think you'd better get up. You've been lying on the floor for a whole hour doing nothing." Jonitza arose languidly, stretched himself, and walking over to one of the big double windows, plumped himself down into a deep arm chair in front of it.