"No; then I shall go alone," replied Markus, briefly.
"Why alone?" asked Johannes and Marjon, almost in the same breath. And there followed a silence of some moments' duration.
Then said Markus: "You will be faithful and remember me and my words, and act as if I were with you, will you not?"
They sighed, and thereafter their words were few and brief; nor did they sing.
But on the morning of that festal day, when the bells of all the Netherlands were ringing, Markus came into the little tavern with a face more joyful than Johannes had ever seen him wear. His eyes shone, and a smile was on his lips.
"Do you hear the bells, Johannes?" asked he. "It is a holiday."
Johannes had entirely forgotten about the holiday.
"How splendid, Markus, to have you so glad. Has something good happened?"
"Have you struck it?" asked Juffrouw Roodhuis. "Happy man!"