ht, crispy curling
hair; something of youthful, even ideal aspiration spoke in the
expression of the strong and manly face.

With an air of mystery Knopf then confided to Eric, that the child had
lived in the New World within the magic circle of Grimm's tales,
and it was strange--he could not find out whether it was pure fancy or
fact--but the child had had an adventure on her journey that seemed to
belong to a fairy tale.

"Her name is Lilian," said Knopf, "and you know that in English our
mayflower is called the lily of the valley, and the child received a
mayflower from some being in the wood who did not know her name. A
wonderful story she has woven together in her little blond head, for
she constantly insists that she has seen the wood-prince."

"You are secretly a poet," said Eric.

Involuntarily Knopf's hand went to his breast-pocket, where his tablets
lay hidden, as if he suspected that Eric had stolen them from him.

"I allow myself now and then to string a verse together; but don't be
frightened, I've never troubled any one else with them."

Eric felt cordially attracted towards this man, so dry in outward
appearance, and yet so deeply enthusiastic; and as the bells rang again
in the village, he said,--

"Now come and make me acquainted with the schoolmaster."

CHAPTER IX.

ANTHONY.

The schoolmaster of the village was stiff and formal in manner; he
received the Captain very humbly. The three were soon seated together
at the inn, and the village teacher related the history of his life.

He was sixty-four years old, but seemed still very vigorous. He had the
same reason for complaining which all public teachers have, and related
with a mingled pride and bitterness that his son, twenty-one years of
age, was receiving more than twice the pay in a cement-factory of the
young Herr Weidmann, than his father was receiving after a service of
two and thirty years. He had four sons, but not one should become
a schoolmaster. Another son was a merchant, and the oldest a
building-contractor in America.

"Yes," cried he, "we schoolmasters are no better off than any common
day-laborer."

"Would you remain a schoolmaster," asked Eric, "if you had a
competency?"

"No."

"And you would never have become one?"

"I think not."

"This is the deplorable part of it," cried Knopf, "that riches always
say, and say rightly, I ought not to remov