We didn't finish the song and we must do it."
Kurt now began to cry out, too: "Let go your pincher-claws--we'll get to
school late."
Mea's voice joined them with loud exclamation against Lippo, who was
trying hard to pull his mother back, groaning loudly all the time.
Uncle Philip entered at this moment.
"What on earth is going on here?" he cried loudly into the confusion.
Everybody began to explain.
Lippo let go his grip at last and, approaching his uncle, solicited his
help. Kurt's voice, however, was the loudest and he got the lead in
telling about Lippo's obstinacy.
"Lippo is right," the uncle decided. "One must finish what one has
begun. This is a splendid principle and ought to be followed. Lippo has
inherited this from his god-father and so he shall also have his help.
Come Lippo, we'll sit down and finish the song to the last word."
"But, Uncle Philip, the song has twelve stanzas, and we have to go to
school. Lippo must go, too," Kurt cried out in great agitation. "He
can't get an excuse for saying that he had to finish his morning song."
"That is true, Kurt is right," said the uncle. "You see, Lippo, I know a
way out. When you sing to-night, mother must promise me to finish the
song. Then you will have sung it to the end."
"We can't do that," Lippo wailed. "This is a morning song and we can't
sing it at night. We must finish it now. Wait, Kurt!" he cried aloud,
when he saw that the boy was taking up his school-bag.
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