He had hoped that Erick would exhaust himself looking for him, for Churi had climbed up the high pear-tree which stood in the centre of their playground, and from there he could overlook Erick's inactivity and his stubborn resistance to being moved.

Kaetheli too had become impatient, for in the farthest corner of the goat-shed, whither she had crawled, she felt herself secure from being found, and now, all at once, she discovered that there was no more seeking, and she could easily guess the cause.

With a good deal of trouble she crawled out again, with many signs of her hiding-place on her dress for she had been obliged to sit crouched.

She ran to Erick, who was still in the same spot, near the harmonica player.
"I should like to know what is the matter with you," she called out.
"Every evening, just when we have the greatest fun, all at once you run away like a hare, or you stand there like a statue and let everything go as it will.

But that will not do! Come and seek us.