"No, Juffrouw, not to fight murderers; but a cat that might have eaten the potatoes."

"I don't know anything about a cat. I only know that the city is full of low-down people when so many murders are committed and no one tries to catch the murderers. Not that I am anxious about my life--no, not at all. When the Master calls me I shall say, 'Let thy daughter go in peace; my eyes have seen thy glory.'"

"But, woman, why didn't you look in your closet, and under the bed?"

"I didn't want to do that, Juffrouw Pieterse! The Lord will take care of me--but one must not try the Lord's patience. I would not go in the closet, or look under the bed--not for everything in the world! For of course he's there, and that's why I wanted to ask if your son--Stoffel, or, if Stoffel doesn't want to, if perhaps your son--Laurens, or----"

"But, Juffrouw, why didn't you call the neighbors?"

Thus spoke Stoffel.

"The neighbors? Well, I guess they know about it. The man who lives under me is afraid of a poodle-dog, not to mention a murderer. There's a man living next to me; but, you know, he is--what shall I say--he is a sort of bachelor, and I don't want to get talked about. You know a woman must always think of her reputation, and not get mixed up in gossip."

It did not occur to anyone to ask what sort of a creature Stoffel was. Was he a bachelor? Or did his position as a teacher protect him against any worldly suspicion?

"And, besides," continued the seductive Laps, "do you think all men have courage? No! They're as afraid of a thief as they are of death. Last week an insolent beggar was on the steps, and the fellow wouldn't leave. Do you think the men did anything to him? Scared to death! But, I tell you, I got hold of him in a hurry and----"

She had gone too far, and she saw it.

"Well, I would have done that if I hadn't been a woman; for a woman must never use violence. It isn't becoming. What do you say, Trudie? I ran and shut my door. Wasn't that right? No, none of the men-folk has any courage!"

None of the men-folk! Walter felt insulted. He was swelling with suppressed courage; he was eager for a fray. At least, he was eager to show that he was an exception to Juffrouw Laps's general indictment. Of course Juffrouw Laps noticed this.

"Well, if Stoffel doesn't want to----"

"To tell the truth, I----"

"And if Laurens is already asleep--and if--if no one else will----"

She arose.

"Then I suppose I must, relying upon G.o.d, go alone. But it's horrible for a woman to be entirely alone!"

She looked at them all in turn, all except the one she was talking to. Walter felt that he was being forgotten, or overlooked. This only increased his latent courage and made him burn with a desire to be numbered with the knighthood of the house.

"Yes, if there's n.o.body here who's not afraid----"

"I'm not afraid!"

All but Juffrouw Laps were surprised. She was a good psychologist, and had not expected anything else. It was her part, however, to pretend to be as much surprised as any of the rest.

"You?"

"You, Walter?"

"Boy, are you crazy? You?"

"Yes, I. I'm not afraid; not if there were ten in the closet and a hundred under the bed!"

A little Luther! But with a difference. Luther had a G.o.d in whom he felt he could trust--reinforced by a few grand-dukes. Walter, without any grand-dukes, was ready to enter the field against a G.o.d who was allowing any number of murderers to take shelter under the roof and bed of Juffrouw Laps.

"Boy!"

"I'll risk it."

"Let him go, Juffrouw Pieterse. You understand--it's company for me to have such a child with me. Then I'm not frightened so badly, if a murderer is in the closet. n.o.body wants to be entirely alone. Isn't that so?"

Juffrouw Laps gained her point: Walter was permitted to go with her.

It was princ.i.p.ally their vanity that caused the Pieterses to consent so readily to Juffrouw Laps's request and allow her to take Walter away to act as her castellan. Not one of them felt that it was a good thing for Walter to go with the Juffrouw; but they were all proud of his courage. The story would get noised abroad, and people would pa.s.s it on to their friends. Juffrouw Pieterse would see to it that the people knew it was "the same young gentlemen, you know, that went home with Dr. Holsma."

Yes, and then people would say: "There's something in those Pieterse children."

Mothers like to hear such things.

With his package under his arm Walter marched away with Juffrouw Laps to do battle for that pious lady. That prehistoric weapon he left behind, on her a.s.suring him that she had a well-filled store of weapons and ammunition enough to kill all the murderers that he would have occasion to contend with.

CHAPTER XXVII

Walter shuddered as he crossed Juffrouw Laps's threshold. He reflected, and wondered how he could have entered upon this knightly expedition without considering certain details connected with it and inseparable from it.

The first thing she offered him, of course, was the fried potatoes, that dainty dish which the murderers had greedily made away with!

Walter was beginning to feel that the game wasn't worth the candle. The adventure didn't offer sufficient outlet for his chivalry. In fact, he thought something other than chivalry was necessary to face single-handed and alone those fried potatoes and Juffrouw Laps's persistent attentions.

"Make yourself at home and eat all you want. Don't be a bit embarra.s.sed. Or would you rather take off your coat first? You know, you're to stay all night with me."

Walter preferred to keep on his coat for the present.

"And I have a dram for you, too, my boy--something extra. It's from Fockink's. You know where he has his distillery, there in that narrow street. You must never pa.s.s along there. Bad women live in that street. They stand at the doors and windows, don't you know; and that isn't good for a bachelor like you."

Walter, the "bachelor," looked surprised. He was abashed; though he was not displeased. This promotion was more flattering than going into "business."

Still, he was embarra.s.sed. Juffrouw Laps found it desirable, therefore, to continue along this line.

"Certainly, Walter, you're a bachelor. Don't you know that? It's only because at home they treat you like a child. I tell you, you're a bachelor, just as much so as anybody else. Do you think I like Stoffel as well as I do you? No, no, no! Not a bit of it! I like you lots better. Don't you want a pipe to smoke? You are man enough for that. Of course you are; and why shouldn't you smoke a pipe like other men?"

Men, men!

Walter answered that he couldn't smoke yet. It cost him an effort to make the admission; but his first attempt to equal Stoffel in that respect had turned out badly.

"So? You don't smoke?" She omitted his "yet."

"Well, it's a good thing. It's a stupid habit in men. And forever the terrible smoke! I know other young gentlemen who do not smoke. For instance, there is Piet Hammel. He's as old as you, but a little smaller. He's going to marry a cousin of mine; and he doesn't smoke either."