afternoon and Kaatje alighted with her
message. After the recent fright Walter had given her, she was glad
enough to escape from such close proximity to the young lunatic. For
thus she regarded him.

All rushed to the window.

"There he is; there he is!" cried the whole family in a breath, and
as loud as they could. "Did you ever! Really, he's sitting there in
Dr. Holsma's carriage."

This flattering observation banished everything else from their
thoughts, and made Kaatje's task an easy one. It was now a simple
matter for her to allay their fears. They were no longer concerned
to know where Walter had been. It was enough that he was now in
Dr. Holsma's carriage.

"Ate breakfast at the doctor's? Girl, you don't say so! And--and--why
isn't the coachman wearing his furs?"

Kaatje was dumbfounded and could only stammer some reference to the
season. In fact, the manner in which her message was being received
strengthened her worst suspicions of Walter's sanity. It seemed to
her that the entire family was a little "off."

"And he really ate breakfast at the doctor's? Do you understand,
Trudie? Ate breakfast at Dr. Holsma's!"

"Yes, he ate breakfast with us. To be sure he did. The doctor himself
said so."

"At Dr. Holsma's, and ate breakfast there?"

"Why, certainly. Where else?"

"And did he use the good manners I've taught him?"

"Of course, Juffrouw! But----"

"And is he now in the carriage with the doctor?"

"Why, Juffrouw--naturally!"

"Listen, my dear," continued the proud mother, "I am going to tell you
something; but you need not repeat it to anybody else. Don't you know,
that's an unusual child!"

"Yes," sighed Kaatje, thoroughly convinced, "I know it."

"You know it, don't you? And do you know why? I'm going to tell
you. He's an unusual child, because--Pietro, move away a little, and
you, too, Mina. Trudie, you can stay where you are, but pay attention
to your knitting!--he's an unusual child, don't you know, because,
before he was born, you understand----"

"Oh, Juffrouw!"

"Yes, my dear, I dreamed of a butterfly; and it was dragging off an
elephant! You understand now?"

"Oh, yes, Juffrouw. I understand exactly."

"Don't you see? That's the reason. Give the doctor my politest regards,
and thank him for me. If he's only well-behaved--I mean Walter. And
the coachman wears such a fur cap only in the winter?"

Kaatje managed to escape, fully resolved never to dream of elephants
and butter