They sat waiting before the milk bowl, beating time with the spoons. A little green apple fell plump into the milk, and spattered it about. Both burst out laughing, jumped up, and collected the unripe apples and plums from the grass, peering across the hedge at a path which led through the woods to the town. "There he comes," cried Benno; "hide yourself!" A horseman rode up at a gallop. It was a young officer. He threw himself off his snorting horse, fastened it to a post, and leaped over the hedge. But he stopped amazed, for he was greeted with a crossfire of unripe apples and plums from each side of the hedge. He quickly collected some of the green shot, and defended himself as well as he could against the assault. The little peasants sprang forth, and Benno cried out, "You have kept us waiting a long time." Siddy made him a curtsy, saying, "Prince, the butter-milk is served." Prince Victor looked with evident admiration at the young peasant. "Ah!" he said, good-humoredly, "now one sees how small the feet are before which one does homage. All right, children. But first of all I must have satisfaction for the attack." So saying, he knotted his pocket-handkerchief; the brother and sister laughed, and said, beseechingly, "Be good, cousin, we will not do it again." "Oh, dear Ogre, pardon and compassion!" implored Siddy, raising the corner of her apron to her eyes. "Nothing of the kind," cried Victor; "I shall no doubt be arrested again on your account, and shall therefore punish you beforehand." He chased them round the table. "This is disagreeable, cousin," cried Siddy; "let us leave off this nonsense, and come to the table. I will help you. There is the cream. Everything must be fairly distributed when Victor is present." Victor examined the table. "It is all very nice, but there is no sugar." "There was none to be had," cried the brother and sister, in chorus. Victor put his hand into his pocket, and placed a silver box on the table. "What would become of you without me? Here is the sugar." He again dipped into his pocket, and brought out a leathern flask with a small drinking-glass. "Here is another important thing, the cognac." "What for?" asked Siddy. "To drink, most gracious cousin. If you will put this cold mess into your interior without cognac, I shall not venture to oppose you; but I advise you, Benno, as a man, to take care of your health." Both held their spoons with an air of embarrassment. "Is that necessary?" asked Benno, distrustfully. "It is a pacifier, as our doctor says," declared Victor; "it calms and quells the rebel substances into quiet submission. If you refuse the cognac, it is just like on the way to hell. The path is easy at the beginning, but what follows is chaos. At all events, you would be spared the ballet to-day. Is that clear to you?" "It is very clear," cried Siddy, "that you are as usual making sport of us. Give him a rap on his fingers, Benno."