“No, no,” Salo said quickly, “such a friend could not trust me any more either.  I mean it differently.  The friend ought to hate to do wrong and ought to want to do right.  He ought to be most sorry if he did not come up to the best.”

Bruno could now gladly and joyfully assent.  Suddenly the two boys heard their names called out loudly.  Turning round they saw Kurt and Lippo hurrying towards them and the uncle following with Mea at a slower pace.

“Wait, wait!” Kurt cried out so loudly that the echo sounded back again from the castle, “Wait, wait!”

The two friends were doing just what had been asked of them, for they were sitting quietly on the turf.  The brothers had now reached them, and Mea soon followed with the uncle, whose face showed signs of perturbation.

“I hope you have not run up to the castle with Salo, Bruno,” he cried out with agitation.

“Oh, no, uncle,” Bruno replied, “we sat down here on the way up.  I just wanted to show Salo the castle that belonged to his uncle, but he does not know anything about it.  He thinks that it has been sold long ago because he never heard about it.”

“Good!” said Uncle Philip with satisfaction.  “Now let us quickly go home.  It is not right to starve a guest on his first visit; he might never come again.”

“Oh, I certainly shall, Mr.—­,” here Salo hesitated, “I do not remember the name,” he added, quite concerned.

“My name here is Uncle Philip,” the kind gentleman answered, “just Uncle Philip, nothing else!”

“Am I allowed to call you Uncle, too?  That makes me feel so much at home!” Salo exclaimed after nodding cordially.  “Well, Uncle Philip, I mean to come to you again with the keenest pleasure every time I am invited.  I would even come with the greatest joy if you never gave me anything to eat.”

“No, no, we don’t have institutions for starving people,” Uncle Philip replied.  “We are returning home now to a little feast I have told Kathy to get ready.  It will consist mostly of country dishes.  Our guest must know he has been received by friends.”

“Oh, Uncle Philip, I felt that the first moment I met you,” Salo exclaimed.

The little group now strolled happily down the incline towards the house.

Maezli was standing in the doorway with eyes as big as saucers.  She had received the news from Kathy that they were to have omelette apple-souffle, ham-pudding, sour milk and sweet biscuits for supper in honour of a charming guest and Uncle Philip, who had come back.  So Maezli looked out at them, and as soon as they were near enough, studied Salo very carefully.

He must have pleased her, for she quickly ran towards him and, reaching out her hand, said, “Won’t you stay with us for a while?”

Salo laughed:  “Yes, I should love to.”