“When will you cut me what you promised?” asked Russli quite angrily, for his patience had given out with waiting.
“All right, I’ll come,” said Vinzi, as if awakening from a dream. “I’ll come. But it is wonderful here! Hold these sticks a minute, Russli. I’ll come right back and make you what I said I would.”
Vinzi ran over to the grazing place and looked about for his cousins. Across the road was a very large pasture without trees and with many cattle. Vinzi could see a small group of goat-herds bending over a smoking spot on the ground. They were apparently trying to make a fire, but as it would not burn, were shouting all at once and causing much confusion. Vinzi saw Jos and Faz among them. First he called to Jos a considerable time in vain, but when Jos finally heard him, he came over.
“Come to us, Vinzi!” he called out, running. “We are making a fire, or I should rather call it smoke. One of the boys found a hole, and we think some kind of animal, maybe a marmot, is inside. It’ll come out if the smoke gets into the hole. Then we can catch it. Come, we’ll have such fun.”
“No, I’d rather not,” said Vinzi, for he had not the slightest desire to see a little frightened beast jump out of the hole, and much less to see all the boys chase it and frighten it more. “I promised Russli to come back. But I must ask you something. Do you think your father would mind if I cut Russli a pipe?”
“Why should he mind? What do you mean? I couldn’t even guess why not?” Jos exclaimed. “I am sure he couldn’t possibly object, and we are only too glad if you keep Russli busy. He makes the cows simply wild and that keeps us chasing them. The minute they see him even they begin to run.”
“Shouldn’t I help you mind the cows?” asked Vinzi, slightly concerned. “Can I really sit down quietly and cut out pipes?”
“You can’t help us any better way than that,” said Jos. “Please believe me. Look how peacefully they are grazing. If Russli were teasing them, they would long ago have begun to run around.”
Vinzi was delighted at being told his share of the day’s work and he went back to Russli.
“Now, Russli,” said Vinzi on reaching the little boy, “watch what I shall make.”