She led the way to the sick man's room, Rico following closely with the precious violin, which had not been out of his arms since it had been given to him. The teacher had become very weak since morning. Rico stepped to the bed with such a happy, grateful face that he did not need to say a word. The sick man gave the boy a loving caress and then asked for the grandmother. Rico stepped aside and she took his place. "Grandmother," said the teacher faintly, "I have been feeling so troubled that I shall be glad if you will pray for me." Just then the vesper bell rang. Rico bowed his head as the grandmother prayed by the bed. After an interval of silence she gently closed the eyes of her old friend, for he had died during prayer. Then taking Rico by the hand, she led him softly from the room. Rico understood what had happened. He and the grandmother walked in silence until they reached her home. "Do not be unhappy, Rico," she said; "your teacher has been suffering for some time, and we should rather rejoice that he is now at rest with the Heavenly Father. I know you will always remember him for his useful life and for his loving gift to you." CHAPTER VIII AT LAKE SILS During the week that followed Rico's good fortune Stineli was as happy as a bird, in spite of the fact that there seemed to be ten more days than usual before Sunday came. It arrived at last, and proved to be a glorious day of sunshine. When she found herself with Rico, under the evergreens on the hill overlooking the lake, she felt so thankful that she could only dance about the moss-covered slope. After a while she seated herself on the edge of the cliff, where she could see both the lake and the village far down the hill. "Come, Rico," she said; "now we can sing." Rico sat down beside her and began tuning the violin, which, you may be sure, he had not forgotten to bring with him. Then they sang together: "Come down, little lambs, From the sunniest height--" and on through every one of the stanzas. Stineli was brimming over with fun. "Come," she said, "let's make some more rhymes. How will this do? "Oh, climb, little lambs, To the beautiful green, Where the winds are all hushed And the clouds are unseen." This made them laugh, and they sang the verses two or three times. "More, Stineli!" cried Rico, encouragingly, and Stineli went on: "Little lambs, little lambs, Under heavenly blue, 'Mong numberless flowers Of exquisite hue. "There's a boy who is sad, Here's a girl who is gay; But all lakes are alike Made of water, they say." They laughed again and sang their verses over several times. "I wish we had some more," said Rico; so Stineli added two more stanzas: "Little lambs, little lambs, So playful yet shy; Gay and happy are they, Though they know not just why. "Now the boy and the girl At the lake are so glad; If we think not at all, Can we ever be sad?"