e and the lighthearted way in which their
bell-shaped blossoms swung in the breeze.

Carl was both right and wrong when he said that Katrinka and Rychie were
furious at the very idea of the peasant Gretel joining in the race. He
had heard Rychie declare that it was "Disgraceful, shameful, too bad!"
which in Dutch, as in English, is generally the strongest expression an
indignant girl can use; and he had seen Katrinka nod her pretty head and
heard her sweetly echo, "Shameful, too bad!" as nearly like Rychie as
tinkling bells can be like the voice of real anger. This had satisfied
him. He never suspected that had Hilda, not Rychie, first talked with
Katrinka upon the subject, the bells would have jingled as willing an
echo. She would have said, "Certainly, let her join us," and would
have skipped off thinking no more about it. But now Katrinka with sweet
emphasis pronounced it a shame that a goose-girl, a forlorn little
creature like Gretel, should be allowed to spoil the race.

Rychie Korbes, being rich and powerful (in a schoolgirl way), had
other followers besides Katrinka who were induced to share her opinions
because they were either too careless or too cowardly to think for
themselves.

Poor little Gretel! Her home was sad and dark enough now. Raff Brinker
lay moaning upon his rough bed, and his vrouw, forgetting and forgiving
everything, bathed his forehead, his lips, weeping and praying that he
might not die. Hans, as we know, had started in desperation for Leyden
to search for Dr. Boekman and induce him, if possible, to come to their
father at once. Gretel, filled with a strange dread, had done the work
as well as she could, wiped the rough brick floor, brought peat to
build up the slow fire, and melted ice for her mother's use. This
accomplished, she seated herself upon a low stool near the bed and
begged her mother to try to sleep awhile.

"You are so tired," she whispered. "Not once have you closed your eyes
since that dreadful hour last night. See, I have straightened the willow
bed in the corner, and spread everything soft upon it I could find, so
that the mother might lie in comfort. Here is your jacket. Take off that
pretty dress. I'll fold it away very carefully and put it in the big
chest before you go to sleep."

Dame Brinker shook her head without turning her eyes from her husband's
face.

"I can watch, mother," urged Gretel, "and I'll wake you every time the
father stirs. You are so pale, and y