his big eyes at the clothes on the floor.

"I am doing the right thing," said Mäzli now in the most decided tone.
"Kurt has said that we must send the poor people some clothes, so we must
take them all out and lay together everything we don't need any more.
Mama will be glad when she has no more to do about it and they can be
sent away to-morrow. Now get your things, too, and we'll put them all in
a heap."

The matter, however, seemed still rather doubtful to Lippo. Standing
thoughtfully before all the little skirts and jackets, he felt that this
would not be quite after his mother's wish.

"When we want to do something with our clothes, we always have to ask
mother," he began again.

But Mäzli did not answer and only pulled out a bunch of woolen stockings
and a heavy winter cloak, spreading everything on the floor.

"No, I won't do it," said Lippo again, after scrutinizing the unusual
performance.

"You don't want to do it because you are afraid it will be too much
work," Mäzli asserted with a face quite red with zeal. "I'll help you
when I am done here."

"I won't do it anyhow," Lippo repeated resolutely; "I won't because we
are not allowed to."

Mäzli found no time to persuade him further, as she began to hunt for her