found it so, in truth. Besides, the father had a goodly sum
already, for service done to the Heernocht lands, at the time of
the great inundation. Every week we had a guilder left over,
sometimes more; for the father worked extra hours and could get
high pay for his labor. Every Saturday night we put something
by, except the time when you had the fever, Hans, and when Gretel
came. At last the pouch grew so full that I mended an old
stocking and commenced again. Now that I look back, it seems
that the money was up to the heel in a few sunny weeks. There
was great pay in those days if a man was quick at engineer work.
The stocking went on filling with copper and silver--aye, and
gold. You may well open your eyes, Gretel. I used to laugh and
tell the father it was not for poverty I wore my old gown. And
the stocking went on filling, so full that sometimes when I woke
at night, I'd get up, soft and quiet, and go feel it in the
moonlight. Then, on my knees, I would thank our Lord that my
little ones could in time get good learning, and that the father
might rest from labor in his old age. Sometimes, at supper, the
father and I would talk about a new chimney and a good winter
room for the cow, but my man had finer plans even than that. 'A
big sail,' says he, 'catches the wind--we can do what we will
soon,' and then we would sing together as I washed my dishes.
Ah, 'a smooth wind makes an easy rudder.' Not a thing vexed me
from morning till night. Every week the father would take out
the stocking and drop in the money and laugh and kiss me as we
tied it up together. Up with you, Hans! There you sit gaping,
and the day a-wasting!" added Dame Brinker tartly, blushing to
find that she had been speaking too freely to her boy. "It's
high time you were on your way."