CHAPTER VII.

What Oscar founded and what Emma planned.

Feklitus took very kindly to the idea of making the speech at the Musical Festival, and told his parents at once of the coming event.  This announcement made a great sensation in the household of Mr. Bickel, who at once ordered a new suit and a new pair of boots for the boy; and both parents determined to go and hear him speak.  A change had come over the boy since this proposal had been made to him.  He became very silent and went about with his head bowed and his brows knit as if oppressed with heavy thoughts.

One afternoon he came out of school and made one great spring from the upper step to the ground.  It was not from joyfulness of heart that he made this leap, but because the sudden pressure of those who came behind him gave him an irresistible impulse, and he could not stop for the single steps.  He did not go on with the other boys, but turned round the corner of the school-house, and waited there till all the girls had passed out, in groups of two and three, and, last of all, Elsli came hurrying along alone; she had been delayed by waiting to write out her exercise for the next day.  Suddenly she felt herself seized from behind and held fast.

“Let me go, Feklitus,” she cried; “I am in a hurry; Nora is waiting for me.”

“I want to ask you something first,” said the boy, “and then you may go.”

He spoke in a masterful voice, and held fast to the child’s frock.

“Tell me this; if you were going to make a speech at a musical festival, how should you begin?”

“What a stupid question, Feklitus! when you know perfectly well that I should never do such a thing!” And Elsli tried to pull her dress away from the boy’s hand; but he held her fast.

“I didn’t say you would; but suppose you did,—­you can suppose anything,—­how would you begin?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure; I never thought anything about it in my life.”

“Come, now, if you don’t tell me, I’ll keep you here till after dark.  Come; I’ll just make a beginning, to start you.  Begin:  Highly respected gentlemen and brothers—­now, what next?”

“Let me go; I really ought to go.  I have no idea what to say next.”

“What an obstinate girl you are!” cried Feklitus angrily; “I’ll punish you for this before long; when you come into the factory, you’ll catch it; you see if you don’t!”

This vague threat frightened Elsli the more from its very vagueness; so she thought for a moment, and then began;—­

“Highly respected gentlemen and brothers!  Now that we have sung together, let us rejoice together; and enjoy a long, long festival!”

As Elsli spoke, Feklitus relaxed his hold of her, as she had hoped he would do; and instantly she darted away like an arrow shot from a bow; and before Feklitus had recovered from his surprise, she had gone beyond pursuit.  The boy looked thoughtfully after her retreating figure for a few moments, and then went towards home.