328 Hans Brinker

XLII

THE MYSTERIOUS WATCH

Se else than the missing guilders was brought

to light on the day of the fairy godmother’s visit. This
was the story of the watch, that for ten long years had been
so jealously guarded by Raff’s faithful vroww. Through many
an hour of sore temptation she had dreaded almost to look
upon it, lest she might be tempted to disobey her husband’s
request. It had been hard to see her children hungry, and to
know that the watch, if sold, would enable the roses to bloom
in their cheeks again. ‘But nay,” she would exclaim,
“ Meitje Brinker is not one to forget her man’s last bidding,
come what may.”

“Take good care of this, mine vreuw,” he had said as he
handed it to her: that was all. No explanation followed ;
for the words were scarcely spoken, when one of his fellow-
workmen rushed into the cottage, crying, “Come, man!
The waters are rising! You’re wanted on the dikes.”

Raff had started at once; and that, as Dame Brinker has
already told you, was the last she saw of him in his right
mind.

On the day when Hans was in Amsterdam, looking for
work, and Gretel, after performing her household labors, was
wandering about in search of chips, twigs, anything that could
be burned, Dame Brinker, with suppressed excitement, had
laid the watch in her husband’s hand.