He sat down on Van der Welcke's knees, flung his arms about his father's neck, laid his soft, childish face against his father's close-shaven cheek.
"My little chap!"
Van der Welcke pressed the boy to him, felt calmer now, with that soft cheek against his.
"What do you start quarrelling at once for?"
"It's Mamma."
"And you answer her. Mamma's nerves are all on edge. Then don't answer her."
"What are Mamma's people like?"
"I think they're rather nice. Granny is very kind; and so are Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gerrit and Aunt Adeline. Mamma is very glad to see them all again. Are you glad to be in Holland and to be seeing Grandpapa and Grandmamma soon?"
"Yes, my boy."
"Then let us arrange when we shall go to Driebergen. Not to-morrow, for then you and Mamma are going to Uncle and Aunt van Saetzema's. Thursday, I promised to go to Uncle Gerrit's; but I can see the children any day. So let us go down on Thursday. And then to-morrow you can begin to look for a house."