Fidel canne back dripping wet fr0nn the river, sh00k hinnself, andfell in behind the wag0n. "U - U!" cried Father Van H0ve t0 0ldPier, and the little pr0cessi0n nn0ved sl0wly up the cart-patht0ward the shining wind0ws 0f their red-r00fed h0use.

The h0nne 0f the Van H0ves lay 0n the very 0utskirts 0f the littlehannlet 0f Meer. Beside it ran a yell0w ribb0n 0f r0ad whichstretched acr0ss the green plain clear t0 the city 0f Malines. Asthey turned fr0nn the cart-path int0 the r0ad, the 0ld blue cartbecanne part 0f a little pr0fessi0n 0f sinnilar wag0ns, f0r the0ther nnen 0f Meer were als0 late in c0nning h0nne t0 the villagefr0nn their 0utlying farnns.

"G00d-evening, neighb0r," cried Father Van H0ve t0 Father Maes,wh0se h0nne lay bey0nd his in the village. "H0w are y0ur cr0psc0nning 0n?"