many years. Now his dream people faded away and he saw that the sun
was setting and felt the air growing chill and damp about them. He
rose a little wearily and helped Katrina to her feet.

"We must go home," he said, gravely. "Perhaps we did wrong to stay so
long, but it was fun to play together, wasn't it? And did you like my
stories?"

She nodded, bending to pick up the bouquet he had gathered for her
earlier in the afternoon. "I like them as well as the tales my nursie
used to tell," she commented, approvingly. "You'll show me the way
home, won't you?"

Hand in hand, they walked slowly back to the dusty street that led to
the governor's house. At the gate, Samuel was about to bid his little
friend good-bye, but she caught his hand and drew him in after her.
"Oh, you must stay," she protested, "you must stay and let Uncle Peter
thank you for bringing me home. And I want you to tell me another
story after supper. You must come in!"

"But my mother will be worried," declared Samuel, "and father----"

"We'll have Daniel go and tell them you are here," she solved the
problem easily. Then she ran up the broad stairs, crying gaily, "Oh,
Uncle, I've had the loveliest time," as a short, stern-faced man
appeared in the doorway; a man with a silver-banded wooden leg and
leaning on a heavy cane.

"Katrina!" he exclaimed with some sternness, but she pulled his hard
face down to hers for a kiss.

"I've had such a lovely time," she cooed, "and this nice boy found me
and brought me home. Thank him, Uncle Peter, and have him come in and
tell me some more stories."

Samuel drew back; but the governor nodded for him to enter, and,
feeling miserably shy and uncertain of himself, he followed the pair
into the house. The room they entered was richly furnished, but
gloomy. Samuel, boy that he was, felt how much lovelier his mother's
simple living room was with its shining brass and the few plants
blooming at the window. The governor sat down behind a long table
littered with papers and drew Katrina to his knee, at the same time
motioning Samuel to be seated. Then he spoke, stroking the child's
golden curls, his keen eyes growing gentle as they rested upon her
pretty face.

"You have been of service to my little girl and I will do my best to
reward you," said Governor Stuyvesant, kindly. "What will it be, my
lad, a velvet suit brought over in the last cargo from Holland, or a
golden chain?" Suddenly the eyes he turned upon Sam