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THE ADVENTURES OF HERR BABY

by

MRS. MOLESWORTH

Author of 'Carrots,' 'Us,' Etc.


  'I have a boy of five years old:
   His face is fair and fresh to see.'
                             WORDSWORTH

Illustrated by Walter Crane







  [Illustration: There was Baby, seated on the grass, one arm fondly
  clasping Minet's neck, while with the other he firmly held the famous
  money-box.--P. 138.]



London
Macmillan and Co.
and New York
1895

First printed (4to) 1881
Reprinted (Globe 8vo) 1886, 1887, 1890, 1892, 1895




CONTENTS


CHAPTER I.
FOUR YEARS OLD                     1

CHAPTER II.
INSIDE A TRUNK                    20

CHAPTER III.
UP IN THE MORNING EARLY           41

CHAPTER IV.
GOING AWAY                        60

CHAPTER V.
BY LAND AND SEA                   81

CHAPTER VI.
AN OLD SHOP AND AN OGRE          101

CHAPTER VII.
BABY'S SECRET                    125

CHAPTER VIII.
FOUND                            145

CHAPTER IX.
"EAST OR WEST, HAME IS BEST"     163




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"OH LOOK, LOOK, BABY'S MADE PEEPY-SNOOZLE INTO
'THE PARSON IN THE PULPIT THAT COULDN'T SAY HIS
PRAYERS,'" CRIED DENNY                                 6

HE SAT WITH ONE ARM PROPPED ON THE TABLE, AND HIS
ROUND HEAD LEANING ON HIS HAND, WHILE THE OTHER
HELD THE PIECE OF BREAD AND BUTTER--BUTTER DOWNWARDS,
OF COURSE                                             16

THERE WAS ONE TRUNK WHICH TOOK MY FANCY MORE
THAN ALL THE OTHERS                                   30

FOR A MINUTE OR TWO BABY COULD NOT MAKE OUT WHAT
HAD HAPPENED                                          50

"ZOU WILL P'OMISE, BETSY, P'OMISE CERTAIN SURE,
NEBBER TO FORGET"                                     61

POOR LITTLE BOYS, FOR, AFTER ALL, FRITZ HIMSELF
WASN'T VERY BIG! THEY STOOD TOGETHER HAND IN
HAND ON THE STATION PLATFORM, LOOKING, AND
FEELING, RATHER DESOLATE                              84

"ARE THAT JOGRAPHY?" HE SAID                          94

"OH AUNTIE," HE SAID, "P'EASE 'TOP ONE MINUTE.
HIM SEES SHINY GLASS JUGS LIKE DEAR LITTLE
MOTHER'S. OH, DO 'TOP"                               106

BABY VENTURED TO PEEP ROUND. THE LITTLE BLACK-EYED
WHITE-CAPPED MAN CAME TOWARDS THEM SMILING           121

THERE WAS BABY, SEATED ON THE GRASS, ONE ARM
FONDLY CLASPING MINET'S NECK, WHILE WITH THE
OTHER HE FIRMLY HELD THE FAMOUS MONEY-BOX            138

AUNTIE STOOD STILL A MOMENT TO LISTEN                155

FORGETTING ALL ABOUT EVERYTHING, EXCEPT THAT HER
BABY WAS FOUND, UP JUMPED MOTHER                     170




THE ADVENTURES OF HERR BABY




CHAPTER I.

FOUR YEARS OLD

  "I was four yesterday; when I'm quite old
   I'll have a cricket-ball made of pure gold;
   I'll never stand up to show that I'm grown;
   I'll go at liberty upstairs or down."


He trotted upstairs. Perhaps trotting is not quite the right word, but I
can't find a better. It wasn't at all like a horse or pony trotting, for
he went one foot at a time, right foot first, and when right foot was
safely landed on a step, up came left foot and the rest of Baby himself
after right foot. It took a good while, but Baby didn't mind. He used to
think a good deal while he was going up and down stairs, and it was not
his way to be often in a hurry. There was one thing he could _not_ bear,
and that was any one trying to carry him upstairs. Oh, that did vex
him! His face used to get