eeks had passed since Erick had again gone to school. When lessons
were over, he had never waited until the scholars of the Middle Lot had
gathered to make a noisy journey home, but he had run away at once and
had walked the long way alone. When he came home, he found his piece of
bread and his cup of milk ready on the table if Marianne was not there
to give it to him. When she was there, she often said: "Go out a little
to play with the children, Erick, it will be good for you and you will
have time afterwards to do your lessons." Erick had always gone out, as
far as the hedge before the house, and had stopped and watched how here
and there the children were running about and playing all kinds of
games; but he had never joined them.

So also today, he stood there and looked with surprised eyes across at
the freshly mown meadow, where a crowd of Middle Lot children were
playing with much noise "Catch me if you can." Big Churi was running
after Kaetheli and as she knew what heavy blows from those big fists
would fall upon her back if she should be caught, she rushed over the
field toward the hedge and into Marianne's little garden, almost
throwing down Erick on her way. At this instant the quick-running Churi
would have caught Kaetheli; but quick as a deer, Erick rushed forth,
opened his arms wide and so stopped Churi until Kaetheli had shot around
the cottage, fleet as an arrow, and again to her goal on the meadow,
where she could get her breath without fear of being caught.

Churi grumbled: "Another time you leave me alone, or--" With this he
shook his fist at Erick and then ran away, for he hoped to catch
Kaetheli before she should reach her goal. When the latter had rested a
little she came running back again, for she indeed had felt Erick's
chivalrous service and she was very grateful to him. She therefore could
not see him standing so alone, but ran up to him and said cheeringly:
"Come and play with us, you must not always stand so alone, that is
lonesome."

"No," said Erick, "I cannot play with you. I do not want to shout so
terribly."

"You need not scream, that does not belong to the game. Come along!"
Saying this, Kaetheli took Erick's hand firmly in hers and pulled him
along.

Erick played with the rest, and now he had begun he played with all his
might. They had stopped the game of "Catch" and were playing a circle
game. The children had formed a large circle and held each other's
hands. In the middle o