uite rapidly, and Nettie suddenly, with a
cry of joy, sprang forward, directly in the way of the horses. If Allan
had not, at the risk of serious injury to himself, immediately sprung
after her and drawn her back, she would have been run over.

"Let go of me, Allan; O, let me go! It is papa!" cried Nettie.

A gentleman in the carriage stopped the horses, and leaned anxiously
forward.

"Is the little girl hurt?" he asked of Allan, in German.

Poor Allan did not understand him, and could not answer. But there was no
need, for in another instant, exclaiming, "Why, 'tis my own little girl!"
the gentleman leaped from the carriage, and Nettie was in her father's
arms.

Meanwhile Mrs. Hyde and Eric, who had been separated by carriages from
them, and had only seen Nettie spring before the horses, and Allan go
after her, were very much frightened. They now appeared upon the scene,
and finding the child sobbing in a gentleman's arms, concluded, of course,
that she was hurt.

"My darling!" cried poor Mrs. Hyde, in agony, "O, is she hurt, sir?"

"No, ma'am," said Allan, "she is not hurt, at all!"

"Alice!" said Mr. Hyde to his wife.

He had but just landed from the American steamer, and was on his way to
the hotel, not knowing of the arrival of "The Hague," when he first saw
Nettie and Allan. He was overjoyed to find his family thus unexpectedly.

"O, Eric, Eric! I am so glad!" she exclaimed, in relief; "but Nettie!"

"My little rash, excitable Nettie is safe and sound in papa's arms," he
said. But the tremor in his voice showed how nearly Nettie had escaped
severe injury. "Eric, my boy," he added, "have you no word for papa?"

Eric, white and faint, could not speak a word, but clasped his father's
hand convulsively.

"And where is my daughter's brave protector and deliverer?" Mr. Hyde
asked, looking around for Allan.

The boy, who had bashfully retreated behind Mrs. Hyde, was brought forward
and introduced as "our neighbor the blind boy, whose sight is now
restored."

"He is travelling home with us," Mrs. Hyde added, when her husband had
warmly thanked him.

Quite a crowd had collected around our travellers, and so eagerly and
sympathetically inquired what had happened, that Mr. Hyde was obliged to
tell them, briefly, the incident, as he led the way to the Vyverberg
House.

It was but a few steps, and they were soon in the hotel, where the words
of congratulation floated after them from the crowd; and presentl