But Juffrouw Laps stuck to it, that if one has faith and grace one may come through all right; whereupon Juffrouw Pieterse expressed her willingness at all times to take advice.
"Those are the essential things; through them we are saved! And--send him to me the first of the week. Or he can come Sunday, but after church. Then he can tell me about the sermon, even if the pastors are--but what does a child know about it!"
Juffrouw Laps didn't think much of pastors. She held that people with grace in their hearts can understand God's word without Greek and Latin.
"Yes, Sunday after church. I will count upon it." And in order to make her invitation more insistent she mentioned certain sweets that she usually served her guests at that time.
Supposing that Juffrouw Laps was really anxious for Walter to come, we must admit that she showed deep knowledge of boy-nature.
As for Walter, he was afraid to be alone with this pious lady. For him she was the living embodiment of all the plagues that are made use of in the Old Testament to convert rebellious tribes to the true faith. For instance, thunder and lightning, pestilence, abysses, boils, flaming swords, etc.
If he had had the courage he would have asked her just to deposit the promised dainties somewhere outside of her flat. He would find them then. But he didn't have the courage.
"And why didn't you go?" asked the mother when Stoffel's enthusiasm over the sermon had begun to die down.
Walter said he had a pain in his stomach, which children always have when they want to bridge over disagreeable duties. With a better understanding between the parents and children this disease would be less frequent.
"I don't believe you have any pain in your stomach," declared the mother. "It's only because you're a bad child and never do what you're told to do."
Stoffel agreed with her; and then a council of war was held. Walter was condemned to go to Juffrouw Laps's at once; and he went.
Expecting some terrible ordeal, he was greatly embarrassed and confused by the show of friendliness with which he was received.
"And you did come, my dear boy! But you are so late! Church has been out a long time. See what I have for you, expressly for you!"
She thrust him into a chair at the table and shoved all sorts of sweets over to him. Walter's embarrassment increased; and he felt even less at ease when she began to stroke him and call him pet names.