ong the peasantry of the neighborhood. As it was, Annie Bouman
was the only one who did not feel ashamed to avow herself by word and
deed the companion of Gretel and Hans.

When the neighbors' children laughed at her for keeping such poor
company, she would simply flush when Hans was ridiculed, or laugh in
a careless, disdainful way, but to hear little Gretel abused always
awakened her wrath.

"Goose girl, indeed!" she would say. "I can tell you that any of you are
fitter for the work than she. My father often said last summer that it
troubled him to see such a bright-eyed, patient little maiden tending
geese. Humph! She would not harm them, as you would, Janzoon Kolp, and
she would not tread upon them, as you might, Kate Wouters."

This would be pretty sure to start a laugh at the clumsy, ill-natured
Kate's expense, and Annie would walk loftily away from the group of
young gossips. Perhaps some memory of Gretel's assailants crossed her
mind as she skated rapidly toward Amsterdam, for her eyes sparkled
ominously and she more than once gave her pretty head a defiant
toss. When that mood passed, such a bright, rosy, affectionate look
illuminated her face that more than one weary working man turned to gaze
after her and to wish that he had a glad, contented lass like that for a
daughter.

There were five joyous households in Broek that night.

The boys were back safe and sound, and they found all well at home. Even
the sick lady at neighbor Van Stoepel's was out of danger.

But the next morning! Ah, how stupidly school bells will ding-dong,
ding-dong, when one is tired.

Ludwig was sure that he had never listened to anything so odious. Even
Peter felt pathetic on the occasion. Carl said it was a shameful thing
for a fellow to have to turn out when his bones were splitting. And
Jacob soberly bade Ben "Goot-pye!" and walked off with his satchel as if
it weighed a hundred pounds.

The Crisis

While the boys are nursing their fatigue, we will take a peep into the
Brinker cottage.

Can it be that Gretel and her mother have not stirred since we saw them
last? That the sick man upon the bed has not even turned over? It was
four days ago, and there is the sad group just as it was before. No, not
precisely the same, for Raff Brinker is paler; his fever is gone, though
he knows nothing of what is passing. Then they were alone in the bare,
clean room. Now there is another group in an opposite corner.

Dr. Bo