"My name here is Uncle Philip," the kind gentleman answered, "just Uncle Philip, nothing else!"
"Am I allowed to call you Uncle, too? That makes me feel so much at home!" Salo exclaimed after nodding cordially. "Well, Uncle Philip, I mean to come to you again with the keenest pleasure every time I am invited. I would even come with the greatest joy if you never gave me anything to eat."
"No, no, we don't have institutions for starving people," Uncle Philip replied. "We are returning home now to a little feast I have told Kathy to get ready. It will consist mostly of country dishes. Our guest must know he has been received by friends."
"Oh, Uncle Philip, I felt that the first moment I met you," Salo exclaimed.
The little group now strolled happily down the incline towards the house.
Mäzli was standing in the doorway with eyes as big as saucers. She had received the news from Kathy that they were to have omelette apple-soufflé, ham-pudding, sour milk and sweet biscuits for supper in honour of a charming guest and Uncle Philip, who had come back. So Mäzli looked out at them, and as soon as they were near enough, studied Salo very carefully.
He must have pleased her, for she quickly ran towards him and, reaching out her hand, said, "Won't you stay with us for a while?"
Salo laughed: "Yes, I should love to."
Taking him by the hand, Mäzli led him into the house and to the room where the inviting table was already set. Kathy had been so many years in the house that she knew exactly how things ought to be. Everyone sat down now and Uncle Philip was amusingly talking. Everything he had ordered for the meal tasted so delightfully that it seemed like a feast to them and Salo said, "I should never have been able to conceive such a wonderful end of my holidays, if I had imagined the most marvellous thing in the world."
"If Salo could only stay here a few days, if only one day more," Bruno urged. All the rest were of the same opinion and they loudly begged Uncle Philip to persuade him to spend the next day with them. They thought that even one day together would be perfect for everyone.