On the way home she wanted to think what could be done, therefore she stretched out her hand to the astonished Kaetheli, and this time the invitation, to at least come into the room and eat a piece of bread and butter, was not accepted; nor would she go with Kaetheli behind the barn where they could fetch down ripe cherries from the large cherry tree--it was all of no use.
"Another time, Kaetheli, it is already so late I must go home," and Sally ran away.

Kaetheli stood there much surprised and looked after her, and in her bright mind she thought: "Sally has something new in her head, else I could have brought her to the cherry tree, for she is not always so anxious to go home; but I will find out what it is." Meanwhile Sally ran for a long stretch, then she began to walk slower, for she had to think over so many things and she was so lost in her plans that she forgot when she arrived at the garden which stretched from her home far into the meadows.

Ritz stood on the low wall and beckoned with wild gestures, for Sally had not seen him at first.
"Do come a little quicker so that you can tell something, else we will have to go to bed, for Auntie has already looked twice at her watch.
Were you in the barn at Kaetheli's?
How many cows are in it?
Have you seen the young goat ?" But Sally had different things in her head.

She hastily stepped into the house, while Ritz followed.

The rest of the family were in the living-room.