FOUND
The shadows were falling in Bruges. The high towers were reflected in
the canals. The city was slowly being covered by night.
A terrible, lonesome feeling came over Philippe as he watched the
darkness stealing on. How could he stay all night in the ghostly
darkness of this old city? His teeth began to chatter.
A boy about his own age came up to him.
"Where are you going?" asked the boy.
"I don't know," answered Philippe truthfully.
"You don't know?" the boy laughed. "Then let me take you somewhere. Have
you some money?"
[Illustration: VIEW OF A CANAL FROM THE ROSARY DOCK, BRUGES]
Philippe showed the stranger his money.
"We can go to the cinema," smiled the boy eagerly.
So Philippe was taken to a theater by his new companion. Philippe was
tired and discouraged and sank down in his seat with a sigh. He wanted
to go home.
He was afraid of the dark city and the strange shadows. He knew he had
done wrong. Now he was ready to give up.
But as he watched the flickering shadow people on the screen, he thought
of that other film which he had seen with his father. He remembered the
brave Belgian soldiers and the heroic King Albert. Then he had wanted to
be a hero, too. But now he was acting like a coward.
This film story was a romance with knights on fiery steeds. What
adventure those brave knights had! They did not give up and go home.
They came home in glory and each married a princess!
Philippe sat up straight. He saw himself as one of those knights. Then
he turned suddenly to the boy next to him.
[Illustration: HE SAW HIMSELF AS A KNIGHT]
"Did you see a man and a girl with an organ today at the fair?" he
asked.
"Yes," replied the boy at his side, "They were at the fair, and the girl
sang."
"Did you notice which way they went when they left the market place?"
Philippe demanded quickly.
"Well--" hesitated the other, "I did see them going down--Oh, don't
bother me now. I want to see the film," he added irritably.
But Philippe had him by the shoulders.
"Come out of here," he ordered.
The boy was too amazed to refuse. Together the two marched out of the
theater.
On the sidewalk Philippe seized the boy's arm and said to him, "I must
find those people. Do you understand? Now, you've got to think which way
you saw them go!"
After Philippe had told his story and explained about Tom and Zelie, the
other boy remarked, "Well, my friends and I followed the organ man to a
narrow little street where the poorest people live. The place was very
dark, even in the daytime. It frightened some of the little children; so
we left. We did not stay to see where the organ man went."
Philippe thanked his new acquaintance, and the boy was glad to go back
to his seat in the theater.
Philippe followed directions, and soon he was in the dingy little street
in which Tom and Zelie had disappeared.
No one was about. It was the blackest, most silent place Philippe had
ever been in. He and his dog huddled beside a wall. There was nobody
whom he could ask for information. Had he the courage to ring a
doorbell?
He started toward a door. His finger was about to push the bell when a
voice called to him. The voice came from above.
Philippe looked up, and there was Tom!
He was looking out of a window. It was so dark that Philippe could not
see Tom's face very clearly. But his voice was cheery.
"Hello, my lad," he called. "So you've come to us at last!"
Philippe ran up the steps, and Tom let him into the house. It was a poor
house and smelled musty and old.
Tom was very pleased to see the boy.
"I knew that some day you would come," he said, slapping Philippe on the
back. "You are a fine brave lad, and we shall have a splendid life
together, wandering on the road."
[Illustration: "YOU ARE A FINE, BRAVE LAD"]
"Where is Zelie?" asked Philippe.
"Ah, she will soon be home. She is so busy. She works very late
sometimes," answered Tom smiling.
"What does she do?" Philippe asked after a little silence.
"She plays the organ, and she sings," the man replied. "Now, you shall
join her, and together you two should bring in much money."
His eyes gleamed. Philippe did not feel very happy. But he could not
tell why. Perhaps he was just tired, and tomorrow all would be well.
Then suddenly from the street below, there came a howl. Philippe ran to
the window and saw his dog, Trompke, below. The fat puppy was whimpering
and calling his master. He had been forgotten outside.
Philippe smiled at Tom.
"That is my Trompke," he said.
They opened the door, and the puppy flew up the steps into Philippe's
arms. Philippe stroked him, and then he told Tom how Trompke had helped
him to sell the sister's lace. Tom was delighted.
"What a bright boy you are!" he exclaimed. "You shall continue selling
lace for me. That is a splendid plan."
Just then Zelie came home. She seemed thinner and paler than when
Philippe had last seen her. She did not talk very much, but her face lit
up when she saw Philippe.
"I am so glad you have come," she said. "We shall have such good times
together."
Tom grinned broadly.
"Yes, indeed," he agreed. "There is a fair in Ostend (=ŏst-ĕnd'=),
so we four shall start our wanderings tomorrow."
"We four?" asked Zelie.
She had not noticed Trompke. The puppy was curled up behind a chair.
[Illustration: "WE FOUR SHALL START OUR WANDERINGS TOMORROW"]
"Yes," smiled Tom slyly. "The little dog is to be one of our party, and
a very important one, too. Eh, Philippe, my boy?"
Philippe smiled and began to feel happier. At last he was going to do
the thing he had always dreamed of doing. At last he was going to travel
with Tom and Zelie.