Erick and Sally Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army

  Meanwhile the sunny September had approached and everywhere the applesand pears were smiling down from the trees. Every morning one could seethe Mayor of Upper Wood walk toward the hillside, where he had started anew vineyard where only reddish, sweet Alsatian grapes grew. Thehillside lay toward the valley about a half-hour's walk below UpperWood; but the walk was not too far for the Mayor to watch the growth ofhis grapes, for they were of the most delicious kind.

  The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli's father, had also a small vineyard onthat side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went tosee whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayorthere, and usually said, pointing to the latter's grapes: "A splendidplant."

  And the Mayor answered: "I should think so. And this year will not belike last! Just let them come!" and with these words he held up hisfinger threateningly.

  "If one only could get hold of one of that crowd," remarked the Justiceof Peace, "so that one could make an example of him of what would happento all the wicked fellows."

  "I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace," the other answered, fullof meaning. "The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweetgrapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked."

  This conversation had already been repeated several times, for both menhad an especial interest in the topic. But they soon had to pass to moreimportant things, for in these communities all kinds of things happen.At present all the inhabitants of the three places were in great tensionand expectation about something which caused so much talk that theyhardly found time to attend to their daily business. The Upper Woodershad bought an organ for their church, which was to be dedicated thefollowing Sunday.

  In the Middle Lot something was also taking place. Old Marianne was busypacking up, for she could no longer keep her cottage. Her work was notenough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwoodwhere she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him. Now thequestion was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had keptwith her up till now. She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend thededication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house.

  To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunityfor much loud discussion. Two parties had naturally formed themselves,the church and the no-church party. For the one side wanted to attendchurch on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen tothe organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, forthey said they could hear the organ in the afternoon when they wereobliged to go to Sunday school, and to attend church twice was too much.The main thing was that women would be sitting about everywhere withlarge baskets full of cake and unusually good cookies; these must besecured. The Middle Lotters especially were against the morning churchservice. To the surprise of all, big Churi voted for the church-going.He had brought it about that the great, long-prepared battle day wasfixed for Organ-Sunday, although many voices voted against it, and therewere still some that did not agree with the arrangement, for they weresure that on the feast-day much else was to be seen and heard. But Churigrew quite wild if anyone said a word against his plan, and they did notcare to make him angry now, for no one could manage so many soldiers ashe had to look after, and only thus could the victory be won. The MiddleLotters had naturally joined the Lower Wooders against the Upper Woodersand so they were now a large army. The Upper Wooders therefore made anew effort to get Edi for leader and to win the battle, for against sucha large army only a well prepared battle-plan and a general well versedin war could save them, and Edi was the only one who knew how to doboth.

  But he remained steadfast, although it almost choked him, for all thebrilliant examples of the small Greek army against the enormous hordesof Persians stood before him, and he had to swallow them all down, forhe knew his father's aversion to such warlike doings and then--onOrgan-Sunday!

  Churi had ordered that his whole army should come together on the Fridaybefore Organ-Sunday in the Middle Lot. So the whole crowd collected onthe evening fixed, and there was an indescribable noise. But big Churishouted the loudest and explained to them the arrangements of the day:first, all would go to church, and during that time, he and his officerswould go to find out the best place for camping and for the battle.

  "Ah, so, Churi!" a little fellow in the crowd shouted, "that is why youvoted for church, that you might do outside what you want to!"

  Churi cried, much vexed: "That must be on account of discipline; if youdo not want to go, then don't, and the Upper Wooders will pay you forit." This threat was effective, just as Churi wanted it to be.

  The whole army should not come together until after the organ dedicationwas over in the morning, and the midday meal which followed at once, wasfinished; and in the morning only Churi with his officers should marchout to arrange all places and positions. So he had planned. The officerswhom he had chosen were all his good friends, the toughest MiddleLotters that could be found.

  About this time a year ago, he had, with the very same boys, broken intothe Mayor's vineyard and stolen all his very best, fine Alsatian grapes.He intended to do this again with his confidential friends, for it hadnever been found out who had stolen the grapes, although they had triedin all the three communities to find the culprits, and this had greatlyencouraged Churi and his allies. But he knew how careful the Mayor hadbeen this year, and he knew very well of his daily walks and that in theafternoon his wife also took a walk in the direction of the vineyard,and in the evening they often took the same walk together; so that theculprits had not any day been sure of them. But on Organ-Sunday no onewould be outside--of that Churi was convinced; therefore he hadarranged everything in view of that, for although there would be aninvestigation, all the many Lower Wooders and Middle Lotters would be inthat region, and the culprits would never be found out from among such alarge crowd.

  After Churi had told his army of his battle plans, they dispersed in alldirections. A number of spectators had gathered around the warriors,every child in Middle Lot, down to the two-year-olds. Ahead of all wasKaetheli, who was always on the spot when something was to be seen orheard. When she left the meadow, she saw Erick standing near the hedge,where he had stood for a long time watching the tumultuous crowd.Kaetheli ran to him. "This will be such a fight as never before," shecalled to him with admiration. "Don't you want to be in it, Erick?"

  "No," he answered drily.

  "Why not?"

  "Because they act as I do not care to act."

  "Not? You are a peculiar boy, you are always alone. Do you know whereyou are going Monday when Marianne goes away from here?"

  "No."

  "You are going to be auctioned off. My father has said so."

  "What is that?" asked Erick, who now listened more attentively toKaetheli.

  "Oh, there are a crowd of people in the room and they bid on you, andwhoever bids the lowest gets you."

  "That is stupid," said Erick.

  "Why is it stupid?"

  "Because they would get more money if they gave me to him who offers themost."

  "No, you did not understand. You are not going to be sold, quite thereverse; he who gets you also gets the money--do you understand now?"

  "Who gives him the money?"

  "Well, that is not a person, as you think," Kaetheli explained. "Do yousee, there is a money box with money in it for the people who are poorand miserable and homeless."

  Erick grew purple.

  "I am not going to be auctioned," he said defiantly.

  "Yes, indeed, Erick, that cannot be helped. One has to obey before oneis confirmed. If you do not obey, then someone just puts you on hisshoulder and takes you to the auction room."

  After Kaetheli had instructed Erick in what was coming to him, she badehim good-night and went her way. Erick stayed on the same spot and didnot move. He had become deathly pale and his blue eyes flashed defianceand indignation, which had never been seen i
n this sunny face. ThusErick stood on the same spot when Churi came by on his way home.

  "Have they made you angry, velvet panty? I never have seen you so mad,"he exclaimed and stopped near the hedge.

  He received no answer.

  "You join us in the fight and strike hard; that will relieve yourfeelings."

  Erick shook his head.

  "Don't be such a sneak, and say something. The fellow who has made youwrathful will no doubt be there, then you can get at him."

  "It is no boy," grumbled Erick.

  "So, who then, perhaps Kaetheli?"

  "I will not go to be auctioned," Erick burst out and his anger flashedas never before.

  "Well, well, is that all. That is nothing," Churi thought. "You justcome with us and you will forget the auction on the spot. Or are youafraid of the thrashing, you fine velvet pants? Do you know what? Icould tell you something that would suit you?"

  Churi had caught an idea: he had heard something of some danger that waslurking among the Mayor's grapes, and the others too knew somethingabout it; so he reckoned that none of the others would go first and hehimself would prefer to have some other fellow first find out whether atrap was laid somewhere, in which the first one would fall, while therest would be warned. For this post of inspection Erick fittedsplendidly.

  "Well, will you?" he urged the silent Erick.

  But the latter shook his head negatively.

  "And if I help you so that you need not be auctioned, will you then?"

  "How can you do that?" Erick asked doubtingly.

  "As soon as I want to," boasted Churi. "Don't you know that my father isthe sergeant here? He goes into every house along the whole mountain,far beyond Lower Wood, and he knows all the people and can place youwhere he likes. You only need to say what you want to do: take care ofthe cows, deliver letters, push little children along in theircarriages--whatever you like best."

  Erick had never heard lying, he did not know what it was. He believedword for word what the swaggering Churi told him. He considered a momentand then he asked: "What shall I have to do for that?"

  "Something which you yourself will find more merry than anything youever did. You can go with me and the officers in the morning. You arethe scout and always go first to see whether the land is clear and safefor us and where we can best pitch our tents and give battle. But onething I have to tell you: you have to obey me. I am the general, and ifyou do not do at once what I tell you, you suffer for it. First we gothrough a vineyard--"

  "One cannot give battle there, nor camp," Erick interrupted.

  "That makes no difference," Churi continued, "you listen to what I tellyou. You have to go through the vineyard and not make a bit of noise, doyou hear? And not run away, else--" Churi lifted his fist threateningly."You must not tell anyone where we are going, do you hear?"

  "I am not going," said Erick.

  "Then go to the auction--that is the best thing for you; I am going now,good night."

  But Churi nevertheless remained. The blood again rushed into Erick'scheeks. He hesitated a moment, then he asked: "If I go with you, are yousure that I can get there, where I deliver letters?"

  "Of course you can," Churi grumbled.

  "Then I will go."

  "Give me your hand on it!"

  Churi held out his hand and Erick laid his in it. Churi kept hold of thehand. "Promise that you will be there under the apple tree on the meadowat seven o'clock Sunday morning."

  "I promise," said Erick.

  Churi let go of his hand, said "Good night," and disappeared behind thecottage.

  The news of the day spread with wonderful rapidity through the schoolsof the three parishes. The next evening, the evening beforeOrgan-Sunday, every child in Upper and Lower Wood, and above all, inMiddle Lot, knew that the quiet Erick all at once belonged to therowdies; that he was not only going to fight with them in the Sundaybattle, but that he was going with the worst rowdy, with Churi and hiscompanions, early in the morning before church.

  Sally came with swollen eyes to supper, for Kaetheli had informed her ofeverything: how the fine Erick, whom she would so gladly have taken intoher home and her friendship, had fallen into the hands of the coarse andwicked Churi and would be ruined and led to do all kinds of wickedthings by the bad boy. All this made her tender heart ache. She hadgone, in the afternoon, to the solitary bench under the apple tree andhad wept until supper time; for, in spite of deep thinking, she had notbeen able to find a way by which she could snatch Erick away from thebad companions.

  Edi, too, wore a drawn face as though he lived on trouble and annoyanceonly, and his inner wrath goaded him to unpleasant speeches, for hehardly had taken his seat at table, when he looked across at Sally andsaid: "You can count to-morrow the blue bumps which your friend Erickwill carry home with him, when he begins in the morning before churchand serves under Churi."

  Not much was needed to make Sally break out. "Yes, I know, Edi, that youwould prefer to begin this evening and fight through the whole dayto-morrow," she cried, half sobbing, half defiant, looking across thetable, "if Papa had not forbidden it."

  Edi became flushed, for it came into his mind how long he had searchedfor an example after which he might take part and yet hold his ownbefore his father.

  The latter looked earnestly at him and said: "Edi, Edi, I hope you willtry not to be a Pharisee. It is a bad sign for the boy Erick that he hasjoined the fighters, moreover, and that he has made friends with thevery worst rowdy. But, dear Sally, you need not knock your potatoes soroughly about your plate as if they were to blame for all the unpleasantthings; eat them peacefully."

  But Sally could not swallow anything more. When soon after Edi lay inhis bed, he heaved a deep sigh and said: "Everything is over for me, butI will be glad for one thing, that tomorrow comes, because to-morrow isSunday. You know what we get to-morrow, Ritz?"

  "Sunday school."

  "No, I don't mean that, I mean something nice."

  "But Sunday school is nice."

  "No, I don't mean that either, I mean something which one can use verywell, when no other pleasure comes along."

  "An oracle," Ritz said quickly, much contented with the delightfulprospect.

  "Ritz, you do guess such ridiculous things. I have told you that thereare no more oracles. There will be apple-cake, that is what I meant,"Edi said with a sigh, for now he saw again all the things for which hehad wished so much more than apple-cake.

  "And do you know, Edi," said Ritz, following his own train of thought,"to-morrow Sally will not be able to eat again because Erick gets hisbumps; then we will also get her share, and that will make three piecesfor each." With these words Ritz turned happily on his side and went tosleep.