When she reached the wall she stopped and looked over into the neighboring pasture. Her blue eyes shone forth merrily from her little blond head, wreathed about with its two long braids, and fresh and pink was the little face that turned expectantly from side to side. Disappointed at not finding any one there, the little girl dropped the switch from her hand, and, reaching into her apron, brought forth a bright red apple, which she set upon the wall. Then she brought out another and another, and still others, until there was a long row of them.
"Ho! hey! Gretchen!" came a lusty cry from below; then, amid noise of shouting, tinkling bells, and fierce snapping of a whip, a boy came rushing up the slope. The cows followed with noisy accompaniment, for the vigorous whipsnapping had brought them along in quite a tumult.
"Why are you so late?" Gretchen called out to the boy.
"Because I—I had—there were so many things—well, I really don't know why it was."
With these words Renti had reached the wall and now stood breathless before Gretchen, who had seated herself on the top and was looking down at him.
"Now you see how it is," she said; "and the next time I am late you must be patient. You find that you can't always get here when you wish."
"Yes, you are right. I didn't consider before. And then it's always so stupid here until you come. Oh, how hot, how hot!" he cried, throwing down his whip and brushing back his thick brown hair with both hands. Then he stretched out full length on the ground and gazed up into the blue sky.
Gretchen smiled down from her cool seat under the alders.