nding attitude, cleared his throat,
and spoke with a self-satisfied air.

"Yes, yes," said he, "that's all right-good and handsome, but I should
like to see something of this befitting reward before I put myself out
of the way about overturned carriages. In the end, maybe, one shall find
neither one nor the other. One cannot believe everything that people
say!"

Petrea recollected with uneasiness that she had no money with her; she,
however, let nothing of that be seen, but replied calmly and
collectedly, "You shall receive money when you come to the carriage. But
for heaven's sake, follow me immediately; every moment's delay may cost
a life!"

The men looked undecidedly one on another; but no one stirred from the
place; a dull murmur ran through the crowd. Almost in despair, Petrea
clasped her hands together and exclaimed, whilst tears streamed from her
eyes, "Are you Christians, and yet can hear that fellow-creatures are in
danger without hastening to help them."

She mentioned the name and office of her father, and then went from
prayers to threats.

Whilst all this was going on in the house, something was going on at the
door, of which, in all speed, we will give a glimpse.

There drew up at the inn-door a travelling-calash, accompanied by a
small Holstein carriage in which sate four boys, the eldest of whom,
probably ten years of age, and who, evidently greatly to his
satisfaction, had managed with his own hands a pair of thin travelling
horses. From the coach-box of the calash sprang nimbly a somewhat stout,
jovial-looking gentleman, and out of the carriage came, one after
another, other four little boys, with so many packets and bundles as was
perfectly wonderful; among all these moved a rather thin lady of a good
and gay appearance, who took with her own hands all the things out of
the carriage, and gave them into the care of a maid and the eldest of
the eight boys; the youngest sate in the arms of his father.

"Can you yet hold something, Jacob?" asked the lady from one of the
boys, who stood there loaded up to the very chin. "Yes, with my nose,"
replied he, merrily; "nay, nay, mamma dear, not the whole
provision-basket--that's quite impossible!"

The mother laughed, and instead of the provision-basket, two or three
books were put under the protection of the little nose.

"Take care of the bottles, young ones!" exhorted the mother, "and count
them exactly; there should be ten of them. Adam, don't sta