d--"ah, your honor, ten years is a dreary time to be waiting to
hear from--"

"Hist, vrouw!" said Raff sharply.

"Waiting to hear"--the doctor groaned--"and I, like a fool, sitting
stubbornly at home, thinking that he had abandoned me. I never dreamed,
Brinker, that the boy had discovered the mistake. I believed it was
youthful folly, ingratitude, love of adventure, that sent him away. My
poor, poor Laurens!"

"But you know all, now, mynheer," whispered Hans. "You know he was
innocent of wrong, that he loved you and his dead mother. We will find
him. You shall see him again, dear meester."

"God bless you!" said Dr. Boekman, seizing the boy's hand. "It may be
as you say. I shall try--I shall try--and, Brinker, if ever the faintest
gleam of recollection concerning him should come to you, you will send
me word at once?"

"Indeed we will!" cried all but Hans, whose silent promise would have
satisfied the doctor even had the others not spoken.

"Your boy's eyes," he said, turning to Dame Brinker, "are strangely like
my son's. The first time I met him it seemed that Laurens himself was
looking at me."

"Aye, mynheer," replied the mother proudly. "I have marked that you were
much drawn to the child."

For a few moments the meester seemed lost in thought, then, arousing
himself, he spoke in a new voice. "Forgive me, Raff Brinker, for this
tumult. Do not feel distressed on my account. I leave your house today
a happier man than I have been for many a long year. Shall I take the
watch?"

"Certainly, you must, mynheer. It was your son's wish."

"Even so," responded the doctor, regarding his treasure with a queer
frown, for his face could not throw off its bad habits in an hour, "even
so. And now I must be gone. No medicine is needed by my patient, only
peace and cheerfulness, and both are here in plenty. Heaven bless you,
my good friends! I shall ever be grateful to you."

"May Heaven bless you, too, mynheer, and may you soon find the young
gentleman," said Dame Brinker earnestly, after hurriedly wiping her eyes
upon the corner of her apron.

Raff uttered a hearty, "Amen!" and Gretel threw such a wistful, eager
glance at the doctor that he patted her head as he turned to leave the
cottage.

Hans went out also.

"When I can serve you, mynheer, I am ready."

"Very well, boy," replied Dr. Boekman with peculiar mildness. "Tell
them, within, to say nothing of what has just happened. Meantime, Hans,
when you are wi