"It's no use, Mother," he said at last; "we cannot put it all in to-night, but the sky gives promise of a fair day to-morrow, and the weather-cock, also, points east.We can finish in one more load; let us go home now.""The clock struck seven," cried Jan."I counted the strokes.""What a scholar is our Janke!" laughed his mother, as she lifted the last sheaf of wheat on her fork and tossed it at Father Van Hove's feet."He can count seven when it is supper-time! As for me, I do not need a clock; I can tell the time of day by the ache in my bones; and, besides that, there is Bel at the pasture bars waiting to be milked and bellowing to call me.""I don't need a clock either," chimed in Marie, patting her apron tenderly; "I can tell time by my stomach.It's a hundred years since we ate our lunch; I know it is.""Come, then, my starvelings," said Mother Van Hove, pinching Marie's fat cheek, "and you shall save your strength by riding home on the load! Here, Ma mie, up you go!"She swung Marie into the air as she spoke.Father Van Hove reached down from his perch on top of the load, caught her in his arms, and enthroned her upon the fragrant grain.
"And now it is your turn, my Janke!" cried Mother Van Hove, "and you shall ride on the back of old Pier like a soldier going to the wars!" She lifted Jan to the horse's back, while Father Van Hove climbed down to earth once more and took up the reins.
Fidel came back dripping wet from the river, shook himself, and fell in behind the wagon."U - U!" cried Father Van Hove to old Pier, and the little procession moved slowly up the cart-path toward the shining windows of their red-roofed house.
The home of the Van Hoves lay on the very outskirts of the little hamlet of Meer.Beside it ran a yellow ribbon of road which stretched across the green plain clear to the city of Malines.As they turned from the cart-path into the road, the old blue cart became part of a little profession of similar wagons, for the other men of Meer were also late in coming home to the village from their outlying farms.
"Good-evening, neighbor," cried Father Van Hove to Father Maes, whose home lay beyond his in the village."How are your crops coming on?""Never better," answered Father Maes; "I have more wheat to the acre than ever before.""So have I, thanks be to the good God;" answered Father Van Hove.
"The winter will find our barns full this year.""Yes," replied Father Maes a little sadly; "that is, if we have no bad luck, but Jules Verhulst was in the city yesterday and heard rumors of a German army on our borders.It is very likely only an idle tale to frighten the women and children, but Jules says there are men also who believe it.""I shall believe nothing of the sort," said Father Van Hove stoutly."Are we not safe under the protection of our treaty? No, no, neighbor, there's nothing to fear! Belgium is neutral ground.""I hope you may be right," answered Father Maes, cracking his whip, and the cart moved on.
Mother Van Hove, meanwhile, had hastened ahead of the cart to stir up the kitchen fire and put the kettle on before the others should reach home, and when Father Van Hove at last drove into the farmyard, she was already on the way to the pasture bars with her milk-pail on her arm."Set the table for supper, ma Mie," she called back, "and do not let the pot boil over! Jan, you may shut up the fowls; they have already gone to roost.""And what shall I do, Mother?" laughed Father Van Hove.
"You," she called back, "you may unharness Pier and turn him out in the pasture for the night! And I'll wager I shall be back with a full milk-pail before you've even so much as fed the pig, let alone the other chores--men are so slow!" She waved her hand gayly and disappeared behind the pasture bars, as she spoke.
"Hurry, now, my man," said Father Van Hove to Jan."We must not let Mother beat us! We will let the cart stand right there near the barn, and to-morrow we can store the grain away to make room for a new load.I will let you lead Pier to the pasture, while Ifeed the pig myself; by her squeals she is hungry enough to eat you up in one mouthful."