Before the coffee was finished, the boys found out that the nurse’s name was Moravec and that they could call her Aunty; that she was born in the mountains of northern Bohemia in just such a cottage as this.  She went to America with her parents, and was married there, but when her husband died, and not having her own daughter any more, she had served this lady ten years, and took care of her like her own child.  Before the boys realized it, each had in front of him a beautiful cup with a golden edge, full of fragrant coffee, and a big piece of Bohemian bun.  After all, they had found the seemingly lost bag, and really, it would have been a pity if the good Bohemian buns had been lost!

Just as their breakfast was finished, the sound of a silver bell was heard from the room.  Aunty ran in quickly, like a young girl.

“Perhaps it is time for us to go,” advised Petrik.  Ondrejko looked at Palko to see what he would say.  He had succeeded in attracting the beautiful cat to him.  She sat beside him on the bench, and with her front paws, like a squirrel, took the dipped bun from him.  Now she was even sitting on his knees and was purring.

“We cannot leave these dishes thus, when they were dirtied by us.  She has no help here,” said Palko.

So he ran with a tin bucket for water, and Petrik ran to bring wood.  In the meantime Ondrejko remained alone in the kitchen, when the doors of the bedroom opened.  At first he heard the voice of Aunty—­and then another.  The blood rushed to his head, the voice was so clear and so beautiful.  Oh, such mysterious recollections, as from times so distant, very distant, as if from the secrets of long past remembrances!  What they said he did not understand.  The cat wriggled out of his hands, lifted its long tail and jumped to the door.  The door was not fully closed and she opened it with one paw and disappeared before the eyes of the surprised boy.  He was not even aware of it.  He was so fully taken up with the voice that he did not hear any more.  The boys’ coming disturbed and awakened him.

Palko washed the dishes, Petrik dried them; they put everything away, and disappeared as quietly as they could.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Seven days passed.  How short! but sometimes how long seven days may be!  How much one can live through, experience, and suffer!  Time passes; you awaken, wipe your eyes, and wonder if it is true that it has passed already.

Even thus Ondrejko de Gemer, wandering through the woods, wondered if all was true that had passed in the last seven days, or if it was merely a dream.  Oh, it was no dream, really.  She came, the sick lady.  Truly, she lived in Palko’s cottage and though Ondrejko had carried the whey there already three times he had not seen her.  Aunty always said that she was asleep, and must sleep very much.  Ah, why did she always sleep just when he came?  She had spoken already to Petrik, and gave him a box full of candy.  Palko had already read to her from his Book, and had told her that she was almost as beautiful as his mother at home; Ondrejko, alone, had not seen her yet.