"Iam!" said Marjon. "What do they want of me? Now what if I have no other duds?"
"Are you a girl?" asked the wife. "Shame on you!"
"Has not Vrouw Huber a spare garment for her?" asked Markus. "She has so many daughters!"
"We may need to pawn them all," replied the wife. But Johannes, with a manly bearing, cried: "We can pay for them. I have some money!"
"O-o-oh!" said the others doubtfully, while Markus simply smiled. Thus Marjon was soon back again in her girl's apparel—an ugly red-checked little frock. Keesje alone was satisfied with the change.
"Have you been singing much?" asked Markus.
"Yes, we sing every day," said Marjon, "and Johannes has made some nice new songs."
"That is good," said Markus. Then, turning to husband and wife: "May they sing here a little?"
"Sing! A pretty time for singing!" said the wife, scornfully.
"Why not?" asked the husband. "A nice song is never out of place."