“Now fall to, yellow bills,” said the butcher to the triplets.  “Your money bought this sausage, and you have a right to share it,” and he gave them a liberal supply on slices of brown bread.

The boys were hungry and ate heartily, though realizing that they were beggars and were being entertained by beggars.

“Your dog must have his supper,” said the butcher-boy when they had finished and, putting scraps of bread, meat and other things into the pan in which the sausage had been fried, he stirred it about and poured it upon a piece of paper, and Pixy devoured it greedily.

As soon as the supper was finished, the travelers prepared for sleep.

“Let us put on our rain-coats,” suggested Paul.  “They will help dry our clothes and keep us warm.”

“Why didn’t you put them on before it rained?” asked the basket-maker.  “That is like locking the stable after the horse is stolen.”

“We never thought of it,” responded Fritz.  They took the rain-coats from their knap sacks, put them on and felt immediate comfort; then all lay down with their feet toward the fire, Pixy close to Fritz.

“I am tired, and could sleep if I were not so thirsty,” murmured Paul.

“Well, donkey, there is nothing to hinder you from getting a drink,” said the rough voice of the butcher-boy.  “Go quietly out the door, turn to the left and there is a spring of good water, which you can scoop up in your hands.  Hurry in and shut the door, or some one of the forest-keepers will ferret us out.”

The boys arose quickly and went out, followed by Pixy.  It had stopped raining, but the woods looked very dark and gloomy.

“Let us run away and leave our knapsacks,” said Fritz.  “I don’t like to be in the company of such people.”

“Nor do I,” agreed the other two, and there was a pause for reflection.

“Where could we go?” asked Paul.  “We would only get lost again in the woods.”

“But I am afraid of that butcher with his knife,” said Fritz.

“That basket-maker would not let him hurt us.”

“Are you coming in or not?” asked the rough voice of the butcher-boy at the door, so they hurried in, and closed the door.

The boys lay near each other for company, and Pixy crept close to Fritz, who rejoiced that he was with them.

After a time the butcher-boy raised his head and whispered, “Boys, are you asleep?”

“No,” replied Fritz, with a thrill of alarm which almost deprived him of speech.

“Now keep your mouths shut,” was the next whisper.  “I hear something outside.”

The boys obeyed, though they longed to cry out, “Come, whoever you are, and take us out of this miserable place.”

There was one of the party who resolved not to obey the command, and that was Pixy.  He, too, heard the noise outside, and sprang against the door, barking shrilly.

“I will kill that dog if he don’t keep quiet,” said the butcher-boy in an angry but subdued tone.