"Addie, shall I be in your way if I sit here?"
"No, Papa."
The boy was doing his home-work. Van der Welcke sat down. He reflected that he would rather tell him some other day, when Addie was not working. The child worked on, silently, gloomily, grimly. And Van der Welcke suddenly exclaimed:
"Addie!"
"Yes, Papa?"
"Come here for a minute."
The boy stood up and went to him.
"Tell me, why have you been so gloomy lately, my boy?"
"I'm not gloomy, Daddy."
"You hardly speak to me or your mother. And it's not like you, to sulk. Are you angry with us?"