"There, eat, little one," he said. "You must be
hungry, I'm sure."
"No, I thank you," said Wiseli, softly. She could not have swallowed
even a crumb. She felt as if she were crushed under her load of sorrow
and anxiety, and could scarcely even breathe.
The boys stood there all the time, and stared at her.
"Don't be frightened," said cousin Gotti, encouragingly. "Do eat
something." But the child sat motionless, and did not touch her bread.
Her cousin's wife came again; and, putting her hands on her hips, stood
looking her over from head to foot.
"If you don't want it," she said, "you can leave it;" and turned on her
heel, and went again into the kitchen.
When cousin Gotti had refreshed himself sufficiently he arose, and said,
"Put it in your pocket. By and by you will feel like eating, only do not
feel frightened;" and he went into the kitchen. Wiseli tried to do as he
told her, to put the bread and cheese into her pocket; but they were too
large, and she put them back upon the table again.
"I will help you," said Cheppi, snatching the pieces from the table; and
was about to stuff them into his open mouth, but they flew up into the
air instead, for Hannes had knocked Cheppi's hand up with a smart blow,
and so the plunder was scattered, and Rudi darted upon it, and carried
part of it away. With this the two oldest boys fell upon him, and they
kicked and cuffed, and screamed and shouted, until Wiseli was terribly
frightened.
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