"But, my dear child, be reasonable, and don't worry over such foolishness. This Fancy, or whatever the creature's name is, has mocked you; or you have dreamed it all."
"No, no, no, Leentje. It's all true. I know everything she said, and it's all true."
"But, Walter, that story about your sister--you would have known that long ago."
"I did know it, but I had forgotten it. I knew everything that Fancy told me. It had only slipped out of my mind. When she spoke, then it all came back to me distinctly."
"I will go to those mills some day," said Leentje.
And she did it. After Walter's description she was able to find the place where that important meeting had taken place. She saw the timbers, the dirt, the ducks, the meadow--everything was there, even the ashes,--everything except Fancy and her stories.
Nor could Walter find Fancy now. In vain did he go out walking with those respectable Halleman boys as often as he was in the way at home. For hours he would stand on the bridge and listen to the rattling of the sawmills; but they told him nothing, and Fancy would not return.
"She has too much to do at my mother's court," Walter sighed, and went home sad and disappointed.
When he looked out the window and saw the beautiful stars twinkling encouragement to him, he cheered up a little. His sadness was less bitter, but it was still there. Pain passed into home-sickness, a sweet longing for home, and with tears in his eyes, but no longer despairing, he whispered "Omicron, Omicron!"
Who heard that call, or understood his grief over his exile? Who observed how that sigh for the "higher" and that fiery desire had passed into a nobler state?
After long deliberations and Walter's express promise to do better, Master Pennewip had at last been prevailed upon to allow our young robber to return to school. He now had the opportunity to perfect himself in verse-writing, penmanship, verbs, "Holland Counts" and other equally important things.
The teacher said that the boy at Muiderberg had been still worse, and he had known what to prescribe. Walter would do all right now, he thought; but Juffrouw Pieterse must get another pastor, for the present one belonged to the class of "drinkers." This she did. Walter was to receive religious instruction from a real preacher.