Meanwhile Vinzenz Lesa had returned from his work and upon entering the room had greeted his guest with a surprise and visible joy. In the state of deepening depression under which he was laboring, his contented-looking cousin Lorenz was a welcome sight. “We so much missed hearing from you,” said the latter after the first greetings, “that my wife kept teasing me about your Vinzi. She feared we might not see him all summer and we wanted to be sure to have him up again for the season. I want him no less than she does, for we miss him ever so much. We thought we’d bring you our Jos for a while, as we agreed to do, and then the two boys could come up to us together till winter time. But your wife has just told me that Vinzi has gone away. I am mighty sorry not to see him, I must say, and my wife will be bitterly disappointed if he does not come. You have no idea how much she thinks of Vinzi; but he deserves it.”
The parents were glad to hear their cousin’s words about Vinzi, but remained silent. Whenever the boy’s name was mentioned, the furrows on Vinzenz Lesa’s brow always deepened, showing clearly that it touched his sorest spot. His wife therefore mentioned Vinzi as little as she could.
Considerate little Stefeli by that time had felt that it was high time for Jos to get something to eat. She therefore came back and entered the room hand in hand with him. The two seemed to be old friends already.
Jos went straight up to his uncle Vinzenz to greet him. The latter looked at the open face of the boy with a mixture of pain and delight. Health, strength and the sheer joy of living laughed from the lad’s eyes.
“He’ll be as big as you some day, Lorenz,” said Vinzenz, after having measured Jos from top to toe. “He must be a real help already.”
“So he is, I can tell you!” replied Lorenz, pleased that his cousin should find it worth while to examine his boy thoroughly.
Mrs. Lesa, who had disappeared, now opened the door and gave Stefeli a sign. The child immediately began to set the table, taking great care not to forget anything.
“Your wife has a good little helper, too,” said Cousin Lorenz, watching Stefeli’s quick preparations with great approval. “My wife would like to have her, too. You must send her up to us some day, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll ever get her back.”
The mother now came in and set on the table the best her kitchen and cellar could provide. It was a special delight to her to entertain these guests who had shown Vinzi so much kindness.
“I hope you are going to stay with us a few days, cousin,” she said as she settled down opposite to him. She kept a vigilant eye on his and the boy’s plates and constantly supplied them with fresh rosy ham and gold-green salad leaves from her garden. “Won’t you leave Jos here with us for a few weeks, cousin?” she asked.