ntly
together Raff suddenly sprang from his seat, snapped his fingers,
and performed two or three flourishes very much like the climax of a
highland fling. Next he caught his vrouw in his arms and fairly lifted
her from the ground in his delight.

"Huzza!" he cried. "I have it! I have it! It's Thomas Higgs. That's the
name! It came upon me like a flash. Write it down, lad, write it down!"

Someone knocked at the door.

"It's the meester," cried the delighted dame. "Goede Gunst! How things
come to pass!"

Mother and children came in merry collision as they rushed to open the
door.

It was not the doctor, after all, but three boys, Peter van Holp,
Lambert, and Ben.

"Good evening, young gentlemen," said Dame Brinker, so happy and proud
that she would scarcely have been surprised at a visit from the king
himself.

"Good evening, jufvrouw," said the trio, making magnificent bows.

Dear me, thought Dame Brinker as she bobbed up and down like a churn
dasher, it's lucky I learned to curtsy at Heidelberg!

Raff was content to return the boys' salutations with a respectful nod.

"Pray be seated, young masters," said the dame as Gretel bashfully
thrust a stool at them. "There's a lack of chairs as you see, but this
one by the fire is at your service, and if you don't mind the hardness,
that oak chest is as good a seat as the best. That's right, Hans, pull
it out."

By the time the boys were seated to the dame's satisfaction, Peter,
acting as a spokesman, had explained that they were going to attend a
lecture at Amsterdam, and had stopped on the way to return Hans's strap.

"Oh, mynheer," cried Hans, earnestly, "it is too much trouble. I am very
sorry."

"No trouble at all, Hans. I could have waited for you to come to your
work tomorrow, had I not wished to call. And, Hans, talking of your
work, my father is much pleased with it. A carver by trade could not
have done it better. He would like to have the south arbor ornamented,
also, but I told him you were going to school again."

"Aye!" put in Raff Brinker, emphatically. "Hans must go to school at
once--and Gretel as well--that is true."

"I am glad to hear you say so," responded Peter, turning toward the
father, "and very glad to know that you are again a well man."

"Yes, young master, a well man, and able to work as steady as ever,
thank God!"

Here Hans hastily wrote something on the edge of a time-worn almanac
that hung by the chimney-place. "Aye, that