s and flooded the back room. Terrible
excitement.

Finally the children were straightened out.

Juffrouw Zipperman again sat in the corner where there was such a
"draft." This only goes to show that earthly greatness has its dark
side, and that a son-in-law in the insurance business entitles one
to rheumatism.

Juffrouw Laps was greatly pleased with the hearty manner in which
punishment was meted out to the children. It was exactly according
to Scripture, she said; and then she cited a text or two in which
the rod was prescribed. It's in the Bible somewhere, I don't know
where. The Bible mentions everything, and the "rod" especially.

"Now, Stoffel," said the hostess sweetly, "recite something for
us." She wanted to show that her children could do something else
besides pinch and turn things over.

"I don't know anything," said Stoffel, but without a trace of Socratic
arrogance.

"Just say for us what you said the other day. Come, Stoffel. That's
the way he always is, Juffrouw Mabbel. One has to pull him up on his
feet before he will do anything. But then he goes all right. Forward,
Stoffel! He's tired now. Teaching in such a school is hard work. Yes,
Juffrouw, he's as smart as he can be. Would you believe it? All words
are either masculine or feminine. Aren't they, Stoffel?"

"No, mother."

"No? But--and the other day you said--it's only to get him started,
you know, Juffrouw Zipperman, it takes a little time, because he's
worn out with his school work--but you said that all words----"

"No, mother. Masculine, feminine or neuter, I said."

"Yes, and still more," said Juffrouw Pieterse. "You will be astonished
when you hear him. What do you suppose you are, Juffrouw Krummel?"

"I? What I am?"

"Yes, yes, what you are--what you really are."

"I am Juffrouw Krummel," she said, but doubtfully; for she read in
the triumphant look of Juffrouw Pieterse and the tightly closed lips
of Stoffel that she might easily be something entirely different from
Juffrouw Krummel.

The tension did not need to be farther increased; so Juffrouw Pieterse
passed now from the special to the general. Her glance took in the
entire company.

"And you, too, Juffrouw Mabbel; and you, Juffrouw Laps; and you,
Juffrouw Zipperman; and you, Mrs. Stotter--what do you all think
you are?"

No one knew.

This will not be surprising to anyone who knows how difficult knowledge
of the "self" is; but Stoffel had something else in mind. The