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〃Mynheer；〃 pleaded Hans in a husky voice； 〃you have called me your friend。 Take this strapquick！ There is not an instant to lose。 I shall not skate this time。 Indeed； I am out of practice。 Mynheer； you MUST take it。〃 And Hans； blind and deaf to any remonstrance； slipped his strap into Peter's skate and implored him to put it on。
〃Come； Peter！〃 cried Lambert from the line。 〃We are waiting for you。〃
〃For madame's sake；〃 pleaded Hans； 〃be quick。 She is motioning to you to join the racers。 There； the skate is almost on。 Quick； mynheer； fasten it。 I could not possibly win。 The race lies between Master Schummel and yourself。〃
〃You are a noble fellow； Hans！〃 cried Peter； yielding at last。 He sprang to his post just as the white handkerchief fell to the ground。 The bugle sends forth its blastloud； clear； and ringing。
Off go the boys！
〃Mine Gott；〃 cries a tough old fellow from Delft。 〃They beat everything； these Amsterdam youngsters。 See them！〃
See them； indeed！ They are winged Mercuries； every one of them。 What mad errand are they on？ Ah； I know。 They are hunting Peter van Holp。 He is some fleet…footed runaway from Olympus。 Mercury and his troop of winged cousins are in full chase。 They will catch him！ Now Carl is the runaway。 The pursuit grows furiousBen is foremost！
The chase turns in a cloud of mist。 It is coming this way。 Who is hunted now？ Mercury himself。 It is Peter； Peter van Holp； fly； PeterHans is watching you。 He is sending all his fleetness； all his strength into your feet。 Your mother and sister are pale with eagerness。 Hilda is trembling and dares not look up。 Fly； Peter！ The crowd has not gone deranged； it is only cheering。 The pursuers are close upon you！ Touch the white column！ It beckonsit is reeling before youit
〃Huzza！ Huzza！ Peter has won the silver skates！〃
〃Peter van Holp！〃 shouted the crier。 But who heard him？ 〃Peter van Holp！〃 shouted a hundred voices； for he was the favorite boy of the place。 〃Huzza！ Huzza！〃
〃Now the music was resolved to be heard。 It struck up a lively air； then a tremendous march。 The spectators； thinking something new was about to happen； deigned to listen and to look。
The racers formed in single file。 Peter； being tallest； stood first。 Gretel； the smallest of all； took her place at the end。 Hans； who had borrowed a strap from the cake boy； was near the head。
Three gaily twined arches were placed at intervals upon the river facing the Van Gleck pavilion。
Skating slowly； and in perfect time to the music； the boys and girls moved forward； led on by Peter。
It was beautiful to see the bright procession glide along like a living creature。 It curved and doubled； and drew its graceful length in and out among the archeswhichever way Peter； the head； went； the body was sure to follow。 Sometimes it steered direct for the center arch； then； as if seized with a new impulse； turned away and curled itself about the first one； then unwound slowly and； bending low； with quick； snakelike curvings； crossed the river； passing at length through the furthest arch。
When the music was slow； the procession seemed to crawl like a thing afraid。 It grew livelier； and the creature darted forward with a spring； gliding rapidly among the arches； in and out； curling； twisting； turning； never losing form until； at the shrill call of the bugle rising above the music； it suddenly resolved itself into boys and girls standing in a double semicircle before Madam van Gleck's pavilion。
Peter and Gretel stand in the center in advance of the others。 Madame van Gleck rises majestically。 Gretel trembles but feels that she must look at the beautiful lady。 She cannot hear what is said； there is such a buzzing all around her。 She is thinking that she ought to try and make a curtsy； such as her mother makes to the meester； when suddenly something so dazzling is placed in her hand that she gives a cry of joy。
Then she ventures to look about her。 Peter； too； has something in his hands。 〃Oh！ Oh！ How splendid！〃 she cries； and 〃Oh！ How splendid！〃 is echoed as far as people can see。
Meantime the silver skates flash in the sunshine； throwing dashes of light upon those two happy faces。
Mevrouw van Gend sends a little messenger with her bouquets。 One for Hilda； one for Carl； and others for Peter and Gretel。
At sight of the flowers the queen of the skaters becomes uncontrollable。 With a bright stare of gratitude； she gathers skates and bouquets in her apron； hugs them to her bosom； and darts off to search for her father and mother in the scattering crowd。
Joy in the Cottage
Perhaps you were surprised to learn that Raff and his vrouw were at the skating race。 You would have been more so had you been with them on the evening of that merry twentieth of December。 To see the Brinker cottage standing sulkily alone on the frozen marsh； with its bulgy； rheumatic…looking walls and its slouched hat of a roof pulled far over its eyes； one would never suspect that a lively scene was passing within。 Without； nothing was left of the day but a low line of blaze at the horizon。 A few venturesome clouds had already taken fire； and others； with their edges burning； were lost in the gathering smoke。
A stray gleam of sunshine slipping down from the willow stump crept stealthily under the cottage。 It seemed to feel that the inmates would give it welcome if it could only get near them。 The room under which it hid was as clean as clean could be。 The very cracks in the rafters were polished。 Delicious odors filled the air。 A huge peat fire upon the hearth sent flashes of harmless lightning at the somber walls。 It played in turn upon the great leather Bible； upon Gretel's closet…bed； the household things upon their pegs； and the beautiful silver skates and the flowers upon the table。 Dame Brinker's honest face shone and twinkled in the changing light。 Gretel and Hans； with arms entwined； were leaning against the fireplace； laughing merrily； and Raff Brinker was dancing！
I do not mean that he was pirouetting or cutting a pigeon…wing； either of which would have been entirely too undignified for the father of a family。 I simply affirm that while they were chatting pleasantly together Raff suddenly sprang from his seat； snapped his fingers； and performed two or three flourishes very much like the climax of a highland fling。 Next he caught his vrouw in his arms and fairly lifted her from the ground in his delight。
〃Huzza！〃 he cried。 〃I have it！ I have it！ It's Thomas Higgs。 That's the name！ It came upon me like a flash。 Write it down； lad； write it down！〃
Someone knocked at the door。
〃It's the meester；〃 cried the delighted dame。 〃Goede Gunst！ How things come to pass！〃
Mother and children came in merry collision as they rushed to open the door。
It was not the doctor； after all； but three boys； Peter van Holp； Lambert； and Ben。
〃Good evening； young gentlemen；〃 said Dame Brinker； so happy and proud that she would scarcely have been surprised at a visit from the king himself。
〃Good evening； jufvrouw；〃 said the trio； making magnificent bows。
Dear me； thought Dame Brinker as she bobbed up and down like a churn dasher； it's lucky I learned to curtsy 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 at 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 a spokesman； had explained that they were going to attend a lecture at Amsterdam； and had stopped on the way to return Hans's 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 tomorrow； 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 onceand Gretel as wellthat 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 tonight； and you've owned your legs were aching under you。 N