ZELIE
Philippe did not know how nearly right he had been. He had wondered
whether his neighbor in the market place could be the thief.
But Philippe did not like to think evil of people, so he drove away that
thought. But the tall dark man was really the vegetable thief.
Next day when Philippe arrived at the Grande Place, he looked for his
neighbor. Yes, there was the man with another load of stale vegetables.
He was piling them upon his counter.
Today Philippe noticed that there was a little girl with him. She was
helping him spread out the wilted vegetables. Philippe did not know
that during the night this evil man had stolen those vegetables from a
poor farmer.
He had stolen them and now he had brought them to the market place to
sell. They were not fresh like Philippe's vegetables, because the thief
did not know how to take care of them.
The little girl with Philippe's neighbor glanced shyly at the boy. She
was dark like the man. But her face was not like his. It was sweet and
pretty.
Suddenly Philippe was surprised to hear the man call out cheerily: "Good
morning to you, friend, and to the little golden-haired singing bird."
The man had changed from the day before. Philippe now rather liked his
weather-beaten face. It was all wrinkled with smiles.
"Good morning to you, sir," answered Philippe.
"This is Zelie, my little daughter," said the fellow, still smiling.
"Zelie, go over and shake hands with the boy and with the little singing
bird. You must get acquainted."
Zelie obeyed. She seemed a shy but pleasant little girl. She was a year
or so younger than Philippe. Her black hair hung straight from under a
gypsy-like bandanna. She wore earrings in her ears. Her eyes were black,
but they did not flash. They smiled at Philippe.
The two children talked. Philippe found Zelie bright and interesting.
She had traveled a great deal. She spoke of her travels about the
country.
[Illustration: THE TWO CHILDREN TALKED]
While the morning passed, the two children became friends.
As before, the boy and his sister sold their fresh fine vegetables.
People gathered around their booth and clapped for their singing. But
nobody stopped to buy from the man beside them.
Still, instead of being jealous of Philippe, the stranger kept smiling
at his neighbor. When the crowd had gone and it was time to start for
home, the man came over to Philippe's booth.
"Did my Zelie tell you of her travels?" he asked Philippe.
"Oh, yes," replied the boy eagerly. "What great fortune to be able to
wander about the country as you do, sir!"
The man looked at Philippe with those flashing eyes.
Then he said, "You could do so, too. You and the singing bird could earn
great sums of money wandering about and singing. Why not go?"
Philippe started. Such a thing had never entered his mind. Though he had
dreamed of adventure and travel, it had been only a dream.
"Oh, I couldn't, sir," he answered. "My mother would not let me go."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the man good-naturedly. "It would not be hard to
persuade her. Tell her that Zelie and I will take you with us and you
will be as safe and comfortable as you are at home."
Philippe wrinkled his brow. Then he began to prepare to go home.
Somehow, this plan was a little startling. Still, it did tempt him.
He seemed to like the man much better today. Zelie, too, was a splendid
companion. All the way home Philippe thought hard.
As the days passed, he grew to like Zelie and her father more and more.
Zelie showed Philippe many delightful souvenirs from many parts of
Belgium. She had also journeyed to other countries and spoke of those
lands.
She was always sweet and happy. But Philippe sometimes wondered why
there was a frightened look in her eyes. That frightened look came when
she was with her father. She seemed to lose it when she sat talking with
Philippe.
The man, whose name was Tom, asked Philippe one day, "Will you teach
Zelie to sing your songs? They are so clever and bright."
"Certainly, sir," promised Philippe.
So he taught Zelie all of the little songs that he and Rose sang.
Today the sun was shining in the market place, and birds were singing.
Philippe felt full of gladness. He met Zelie and her father, who had a
smile on his face.
"What a fine day for traveling!" he cried. "How I should like to start
out and wander to far places!"
Tom's sly eyes beamed. He slapped Philippe on the back lightly.
"That is just what Zelie and I are planning," he said. "Tomorrow we
leave. Why could not you and the singing bird go with us?
"We shall go to every part of Belgium and take along our big organ.
Zelie will play the organ, while you and Baby Rose sing."
Philippe's heart pounded. Yes, why not? He looked at Zelie. He thought
she must be delighted. But he was amazed to see a look of fear in her
little dark face.
"What luck!" he cried. "Are you not pleased, Zelie?"
"If you would come it might be jolly," the girl answered.
"Why not?" again thought Philippe. He said, "I'll ask my mother and
father tonight. I shall tell you in the morning."
"Good!" Tom smiled. "Zelie and I can wait until the following day to
start our journey. Then we four shall set out together."
That night Philippe asked his parents if he might go traveling with Tom
and Zelie.
"This is a strange man," said Papa Pomme. "How do you know that he may
not be a wicked man? Besides, a wandering life is a hard one, and Baby
Rose is too young."
"But I am old and strong, Papa Pomme," begged Philippe. "I shall make
great sums of money, too. Do, do let me go."
"Not yet, little cabbage," said Papa Pomme.
[Illustration: "NOT YET, LITTLE CABBAGE"]
Philippe's dream was shattered. He cried himself to sleep that night.
The next day in the market place Tom met the children with an eager
question.
"Well? Do we start tomorrow?" he asked.
"My father will not let me go," Philippe said.
The man scowled.
"Foolish," he frowned, "foolish! It would bring you money, and you could
make your parents rich."
Philippe scowled, too.
"Yes," he agreed, "I told my father. But still he refuses to allow me to
go."
"It is too bad," the man said. He shrugged his shoulders. "But Zelie and
I must leave tomorrow. And maybe some day you will decide to join us."
Philippe wondered what Tom meant.
"You know you are a big boy now," Tom continued. "It is a shame for you
to waste your time sitting in a market place selling vegetables."
He winked at Philippe slyly, and then started to whistle. Oh, how lucky
was this Tom, thought Philippe; and the little girl, Zelie, too! But
still Philippe noticed that Zelie's eyes were sad.