These words pacified Sally and so she willingly packed together her books and put each in its place.

CHAPTER VII

Erick Enlists in the Fighting Army

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

The Justice of Peace, Kaetheli’s father, had also a small vineyard on that side, but of a much inferior kind, and when he sometimes went to see whether his grapes would ripen this year, he always found the Mayor there, and usually said, pointing to the latter’s grapes:  “A splendid plant.”

And the Mayor answered:  “I should think so.  And this year will not be like last!  Just let them come!” and with these words he held up his finger threateningly.

“If one only could get hold of one of that crowd,” remarked the Justice of Peace, “so that one could make an example of him of what would happen to all the wicked fellows.”

“I have prepared for that, Justice of Peace,” the other answered, full of meaning.  “The boldest of them will carry the reminder of the sweet grapes for weeks about with him and will be plainly marked.”

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

In the Middle Lot something was also taking place.  Old Marianne was busy packing up, for she could no longer keep her cottage.  Her work was not enough to pay the running expenses, so she was going down to Oakwood where she had a cousin who was glad to have her live with him.  Now the question was, where the little stranger was to go, whom she had kept with her up till now.  She wanted to stay over Sunday and attend the dedication, and on Monday she was going to lock up the house.

To the schoolchildren also the approaching festivity was an opportunity for much loud discussion.  Two parties had naturally formed themselves, the church and the no-church party.  For the one side wanted to attend church on Organ-Sunday, as they called the day for short, and listen to the organ; the other did not care anything about hearing the music, for they said they could hear the organ in the afternoon