"Then, Allan, you are one of the 'children of the Lord;' for you do kind, generous things all the time, and--" "No, no, Nettie," said Allan, hastily interrupting her. "I am very selfish, and I have to try very hard, and pray to the Lord Jesus to help me to be good." "But you _do_ give up for the sake of others, you know; now this afternoon--" "I am having a delightful time, and enjoying myself hugely," said Allan, interrupting her again, and laughing merrily. "I'll go and get my checker-board, and we'll have a game." Thus, thanks to the kind-hearted Allan, the afternoon wore pleasantly away, and when Mrs. Hyde and Eric returned, Allan and Nettie were both very happy, and in the midst of an exciting game. Mrs. Hyde had slept off her headache, and was giving orders for tea on the balcony, to the children's intense satisfaction. CHAPTER V. "SEEING THE ELEPHANT." "'You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear,'" sang Nettie, as she leaned over the balcony railing, gazing out upon the lovely lake and island before them; for Mr. Hyde had explained that, as his time was exceedingly limited, he could allow them only three days to explore Havenhaag, and at the end of that time they must leave for New York. "So we will begin with the Royal Museum to-morrow morning," he added; "and all who are up in good season can take a trip with me, in one of those shallops, around the lake." After the children had retired, Mr. and Mrs. Hyde held a consultation about Eric. They expected the arrival of Dr. Ward and their nephew daily, and were in hopes of seeing them before the steamer should sail. But there was just a chance that the doctor might be delayed at Paris; and if it should so happen, what would Eric do? His parents were unwilling to disappoint him by taking him to New York without making the desired tour of Germany; and they disliked the idea of leaving him, a young boy of thirteen, alone in a strange place. But his father at length decided to let him remain at the Vyverberg House, in case the doctor should be detained until after they had sailed. Eric was a thoughtful, reliable boy, and old enough, his father said, to learn to depend upon himself. Mrs. Hyde felt some misgivings as to this course at first; but her confidence in Eric was so great, that she soon consented to it, and having once decided in favor of the plan, she would let no thought of it trouble her. You may be sure that the three children did not need an "early call" in the morning, for they were up and dressed with the daylight, having a romp on their balcony with Froll, who frightened several of the occupants of adjacent rooms by trying to get in at their windows. Nettie told Eric how Froll had got her into disgrace, the day before, by the same trick. "I think," said Eric, "that she must once have belonged to an organ-grinder, and have been taught to climb up for money."