The doctor saw how the children enjoyed their food and noticed that Ondrejko also ate with a good appetite.  He suddenly began to say, “Palko, you said that you would carry wood to the cottage.  That will not be necessary.  I will have a cord of wood brought and cut, but if you would take care of bringing the flowers that would be very good.  The lady is to drink whey.  As long as she is weak you could also bring that to her every morning.  As soon as she is strong enough she will have to go to the sheepfold herself, and ask for it at the hut.  Now, what do you say?  Will you help me so that she will get better soon?”

They all heartily agreed that they would do it.

“I will tell you what is the matter with her.  For a long time she made day out of night, but she could not change the day into night.  Thus she lacked many nights’ rest.  Now she would like to sleep, but she cannot!  She is a sad, unhappy person, and has lived to see much sorrow.  It will be well if you help me to cheer her up; then she will recover sooner.”

“And does the lady understand Slovak?” fearlessly asked Palko.  The doctor smote his forehead.

“You are a wise little fellow, boy.  I didn’t think of that.  But wait!  I overheard when she bought oranges, she spoke in Czech.  Then you will be able to understand each other.  Do you want to help me, boys?”

“We would like to very much,” said Ondrejko.

“If Bacha will permit us,” added Petrik.  Palko thought that nothing would hinder him as long as he was there.

In good spirits the boys returned to the sheepcote.  The doctor left them at the “Old Hag’s Rock.”  They took from him a closely-written note for Bacha Filina, who readily enough agreed to everything.  He even sent Stephen to build the bench, and also gave permission to the boys to carry whey and flowers to the sick lady.

CHAPTER SIX

Again it was Sunday.  That day no one from the hut went to church.  Very early in the morning they read a part of the Word of God, sang a song, prayed, and everybody went his way.  Filina had an invitation from the manager of the Gemer estate.  He had to go to the castle, and the boys said they would go to Palko’s cottage, not to enter, because the doctor had the key, but to see if the wood had been already brought and where the draymen had stacked it.  But who can describe their surprise when they reached the cottage.  They saw all the windows open and on the kitchen-table sat a large white cat.  The fur around her head looked like a cap.  Her eyes were blue and round like those of an owl.  Her long broad tail hung out of the window.  Around her neck she had a band decorated with small pearls, and a small gilt bell was hanging from it.  When they saw her they were glad they had not brought the dogs along.  Fido went with his master and Dunaj was somewhere roaming in the woods.

“Someone must live here already,” remarked the surprised Ondrejko.