"Dear me!" thought Dame Brinker as she bobbed up and down like a churn dasher, "it's lucky I learned to curtsey at Heidelberg!" Raff was content to return the boys' salutations with a respectful nod. "Pray be seated, young masters," said the dame, as Gretel bashfully thrust a stool toward them. "There's a lack of chairs as you see, but this one by the fire is at your service, and if you don't mind the hardness, that oak-chest is as good a seat as the best. That's right, Hans, pull it out." By the time the boys were seated to the dame's satisfaction, Peter, acting as spokesman, had explained that they were going to attend a lecture at Amsterdam, and had stopped on the way to return Hans' strap. "Oh, mynheer," cried Hans earnestly, "it is too much trouble. I am very sorry." "No trouble at all, Hans. I could have waited for you to come to your work to-morrow, had I not wished to call. And, Hans, talking of your work, my father is much pleased with it; a carver by trade could not have done it better. He would like to have the south arbor ornamented also, but I told him you were going to school again." "Aye!" put in Raff Brinker, emphatically, "Hans must go to school at once--and Gretel as well--that is true." "I am glad to hear you say so," responded Peter, turning toward the father, "and very glad to know that you are again a well man." "Yes, young master, a well man, and able to work as steady as ever--thank God!" [Here Hans hastily wrote something on the edge of a time-worn almanac that hung by the chimney-place.] "Aye, that's right, lad, set it down. Figgs! Wiggs! Alack! Alack!" added Raff in great dismay, "it's gone again!" "All right, father," said Hans, "the name's down now in black and white. Here, look at it, father; mayhap the rest will come to you. If we had the place as well, it would be complete;" then turning to Peter, he said in a low tone, "I have an important errand in town, mynheer, and if----" "Wist!" exclaimed the dame, lifting her hands, "not to Amsterdam to-night, and you've owned your legs were aching under you. Nay, nay--it'll be soon enough to go at early daylight." "Daylight indeed!" echoed Raff, "that would never do. Nay, Meitje, he must go this hour." The vrouw looked for an instant as if Raff's recovery was becoming rather a doubtful benefit; her word was no longer sole law in the house. Fortunately, the proverb, "Humble wife is husband's boss," had taken deep root in her mind; even as the dame pondered, it bloomed. "Very well, Raff," she said smilingly, "it is thy boy as well as mine. Ah! I've a troublesome house, young masters." Just then Peter drew a long strap from his pocket. Handing it to Hans he said in an undertone, "I need not thank you for lending me this, Hans Brinker. Such boys as you do not ask for thanks--but I must say you did me a great kindness, and I am proud to acknowledge it. I did not know," he added, laughingly, "until fairly in the race, how anxious I was to win."