“Yes, that I will, and I know too, how one becomes one, for the reverend pastor has told me how.”

“That is lovely of him, we will thank him for it.  And now we start, this very day, on our journey to Denmark.”

“To Denmark, Grandfather, to the beautiful estate, right now?” Erick’s eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and expectation, for he only now comprehended, what he was going to meet:  all that had stood before his mental eyes as the highest and most splendid, ever since he could think, and that his mother had painted for him in the bright coloring of her childhood’s remembrances, again and again, the distant, beautiful estate, the handsome horses, the pond with the barge, the large house with the winter-garden,—­everything he was now to see, and live there with this grandfather, for whom his mother had planted such a love and reverence in her boy’s heart, that he saw in him the highest of what could be found on this earth,—­all this over-powered Erick so much that he was not able to comprehend his good fortune, and with a deep breath he asked:  “Are you sure, Grandfather?”

“Yes, yes, my boy,” the grandfather assured him, laughing.  “Come, I hope you can start at once.  You will not have much to pack?”

“Oh, no,” said Erick.  “You see,”—­and he counted on his fingers:  “three writing-books, three school-books, the pen-box and the beautiful Christmas present that I received here in the parsonage.”

“That is well, that will make a small bundle,” but the old gentleman looked at his grandson, rather surprised, and said:  “I am astonished, little waif, that you look so fine.”

“Yes, I believe you, Grandfather,” answered Erick.  “That is good stuff that I am wearing; it comes from you.  You see, when in the old suit which I had worn so long, the patches became holes, then Mother brought out the beautiful velvet cloak, with the broad lace, and said:  ’That is good, that comes from Grandfather, you can wear that a long time.’  And then she cut everything apart and sewed everything together again, and so there came out what I am now wearing.  And Mother received a great deal of money for the broad lace.  But only when all was finished and I was wearing it, she became glad again; during the cutting and the sewing together, she was very quiet.”

The grandfather too had become still, and he turned away for a while.  No doubt he too thought of the time and what happy days they were when he had hung around his beloved child the rich mantle, and how sweetly she stood before him, she whom he was never to see again.

“Come, my boy,” he said, turning again to Erick.  “What has become of your foster-parents?  It is time that we thank them.”