. "You did that
for me?"

"Yes, and I prayed, too. I should have been sad if you had died. For
I believe you are a good boy."

"I ought to have come sooner; and I wanted to, but--Femke, I was
afraid."

He related to her how he had been near her on Sunday. The girl
attributed his timidity to his diffidence toward her mother.

"My mother is a good woman. She wouldn't hurt anybody, but--you
understand. She doesn't mix with people much. I understand the
world better, because, you see, I was a nurse for three weeks. I was
only substituting; I was too young to be a real nurse. It was at a
relation's of ours, where the girl was sick. You know we really come
of a good family. But that makes no difference. Tell me, are you well
and strong again?"

Walter told her now all about his sickness, and soon he came
involuntarily to the thing that gave him most trouble, his defective
knowledge.

"All the children know French; but at our school it isn't taught. It's
impossible to be a great man without knowing French."

Walter had difficulty in explaining to her that he meant something
other than the possession of three houses, though that might not
be bad.

"I should like--you understand? I should like--yes--I should like--how
shall I explain?"

The sovereignty of Africa was on the end of his tongue; but he didn't
have the courage to put his dreams into words.

"You know, Femke, that we live here in Europe. Now, down there in the
south, far away--I will draw it for you. We can sit down here and I
will show you exactly what I mean."

He selected some small sticks suitable for making outlines on the
ground, then he and Femke sat down on a low pile of boards. He
proceeded to scratch up the sand for some distance around.

"That is Europe. The earth is round; that is, it consists of
two halves, like a doughnut. You see, it looks like a pair of
spectacles. With that half we are not concerned. That's America. You
can put your feet on it if you want to. Here is where we live; there
is England; and here is Africa. The people there are uncivilized. They
can't read, and they don't wear many clothes. But when a traveler
comes along they are very nice to him--the book says so. I'm going
down there and teach all the people to read and give them clothes and
see to it that there is no injustice done in the whole land. And then
we will----"

"I, too?" asked Femke in amazement.

"Why, certainly! I wanted to ask you if you were willin