d wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had not
been able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from the
bad companions.

Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyance
only, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for he
hardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally and
said: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erick
will carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before church
and serves under Churi."

Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that you
would prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole day
to-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across the
table, "if Papa had not forbidden it."

Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searched
for an example after which he might take part and yet hold his own
before his father.

The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you will
try not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he has
joined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with the
very worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes so
roughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasant
things; eat them peacefully."

But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay in
his bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, but
I will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow is
Sunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?"

"Sunday school."

"No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice."

"But Sunday school is nice."

"No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use very
well, when no other pleasure comes along."

"An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightful
prospect.

"Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that there
are no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant,"
Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which he
had wished so much more than apple-cake.

"And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought,
"to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets his
bumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three pieces
for each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went to
sleep.

CHAPTER VI