to her. This is easily understood: what might
he not tell at home?

It was already daylight; but Juffrouw Laps knew that it was too early
to go to the Pieterses'. Besides, what would she say? That her little
knight had run away during the night? And why? Whither? How did she
know but that he had already told the story in all its details?

She determined--not to determine upon anything, and to leave the
matter with the "Master" for the present. With this pious resolve she
climbed into her maidenly bed; and, before falling asleep, she groaned:
"If the rascal had only broken his neck, like the high priest Eli,
in First Samuel, 4!"

No doubt the Master saw the distress of his faithful disciple and
taught her how to meet the situation that awaited her waking; for
Leentje soon returned with the assurance of Juffrouw Laps that Walter
was out taking a morning walk.

In a way, this was the truth. The Juffrouw merely neglected to add
why he was taking a walk, and at what hour in the morning he had gone
out. Leentje, suspecting nothing, asked no questions. For her it was a
"matter of course" that he would not go out in the middle of the night.

The family now regarded the incident as fresh evidence of Walter's
objectionable habit of roving, and nothing more. They felt no anxiety
for his personal safety.

"There it is again!" said the mother. "The trouble and vexation I
have with that boy. Anybody else would sit down for a while after
breakfast; but he--what does he do? He runs away before it's hardly
daylight. Is that any way to do, Stoffel?"

"No, mother."

"And to leave us here anxious and worrying over him!"

"Yes, mother."

"This is a nice caper he's cutting again. He knows very well that
we're all uneasy and won't have a minute's peace till he comes. God
only knows where he is."

Stoffel could not wait to hear more. It was time for him to go
to school.

It may be repeated that there was not a word of truth in all this
uneasiness and anxiety. The family considered such a display to be the
proper thing; though, for the rest, they did not manifest the slightest
interest in Walter's fate. For aught they knew some accident might
have happened to the boy; but, instead of making a serious effort to
find out what had become of him, his mother found it easier to accuse
him of indecorous conduct and general worthlessness.

Thus matters remained until Dr. Holsma's carriage drove up before
Juffrouw Pieterse's door that