It seemed a long time before she came to the next gift. [Illustration] Then a pretty chain of red beads came out of the “Wonder-Ball.” She knit and knit away. The gifts she knit from the “Wonder-Ball” were many. She sang a little song as she worked. She called it her “Knitting Song.” Click, clack, click, clack, On go the needles, forward and back, Careful never a stitch to drop, Busily knit with never a stop. Forward and back, forward and back, Bright little needles, click, click, clack. Among her gifts was a little gold ring with a blue stone in it. She had also a wooden bird, a tiny doll, and a thimble. She called her thimble her “finger-hat.” [Illustration] Rikka was very happy. She thanked her good mother many times for the lovely, big “Wonder-Ball.” Rikka soon learned to knit very well. She liked to knit even when she had no “Wonder-Ball.” She knit a scarf for her father. She knit a jacket for her doll. “It is such fun to make things,” said busy little Rikka. THE FIRE AND WATER MAN Jan and Katrina were down at Bram’s house. Bram’s house is by the canal. Down the canal came a man in a boat. Now and then the man would call “Fire” in a loud voice. Then he would call “Water.” He was the Fire-and-Water Man. He sells fire and water to the people by the canal. Bram’s mother called, “Quick, Bram! Here comes the Fire-and-Water Man! Run for the shovel and buy some coals of fire from him. I need water, too. Take the big blue pail with the cover, then you will not spill any of the water. Hurry, Bram!” “I will take your pail to the man,” said Jan. “I will carry the water and Bram can carry the fire.” So Bram and Jan ran down to the boat and bought hot coals and fresh water from the man. Then the man sailed on down the canal in his boat. They could hear him calling “Fire” and “Water.” He was going to sell fire and water to other Dutch mothers. [Illustration] [Illustration] THE WINDMILL GAME Jan and Katrina like to play the Windmill Game. They get Bram and Hilda and Kassie and Karl to play with them. This is the way they play the game. Each one chooses a partner. They stand back to back. They stretch out their arms. They wave their arms up and down. When one arm goes up the other arm goes down. They look like a windmill whirling around. They sing: Windmill, windmill, whirl around With a whirring, creaking sound, Up and down, Away we go, Windmills go both fast and slow. It takes two children to make a windmill in this Windmill Game. If Jan and Hilda and Kassie and Karl and Bram and Katrina all play, how many windmills do they make? THE STORY IN JAN’S BOOK Do you remember the book that Jan’s mother gave him for his birthday? Jan has read the book now. He will tell you the story of little Peter. He likes it the best of all the stories in his book. [Illustration] THE STORY