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Nanking believed that when the weathercock on the church tingled in the wind, it was Dominie Welius in the grave striking his tuning-fork to catch the key-note. Peter Alrichs inherited the well-cleared farm of his papa, and had the best estate in all New Amstel except Gerrit Van Swearingen, who was accused of getting rich by smuggling, peculating, and slave-catching.
"Well," said Peter Alrichs, smiling, "you can come to see her sometimes and carry her doll." "Good enough!" cried Nanking, overjoyed. Before Nanking started on his trip, the sailor-man he had refused to whip walked into his mother's house. "Widow Cloos, no doubt," he said, bowing. "Madame, I owe your son a service.
The news was presently dispersed, and all felt an interest, until finally Nanking produced his stork. "It is like a stork, indeed!" uttered Peter Alrichs; "'tis big as one, too, but its wings are all white!" "'Tis a stork, yah, op myne eer! Upon my honor, it is!" muttered uncle Van Swearingen. "Nanking is not an idiot, papa!" said Elsje, overjoyed.
He found compensation for Elsje's contumely in his gun, and roved the forests through, and peeped from time to time at his mystic treasures. One day the news came overland that the English had taken New Amsterdam. Then the great Hinoyossa and uncle Van Swearingen and Alrichs and Beeckman swore dreadfully, and said they would fight to the last man.
Nanking bowed politely, and singling out Beeckman and Alrichs, stood before them with child-like joy. "Gentlemen," he said, "I gave all your presents to the noble Colonel Utye, who sends his deepest gratitude, and presented me with this exalted cap in acknowledgment of my capacity." "Thou idiot!" exclaimed Beeckman; "'tis a dunce's cap!"
The shrewd Peter Alrichs came to the widow's abode and asked to see Nanking. He brought with him the worshipful Beeckman, lord of all South River, except New Amstel's little territory, which reached from Christine Hill to Bombay Hook. They both put long questions to Nanking, and he showed them his burnt heel, still scarred by the fagots of the Susquehannocks. "Ik houd dat voor waar!
Thou art our treasure." The great Hinoyossa condignly fled to Maryland. Uncle Van Swearingen was exported to Holland, and in the dwelling of Peter Alrichs the family of Ffob Oothout made their abode. "Nanking," asked the houseless Alrichs, "is not Elsje pretty yet?" "Not as pretty," answered Nanking, "as my little baby sister. I will carry nobody's doll but hers."
The room rang with the cry, "Incurable idiot!" and Gerrit Van Swearingen cried louder than any, "Go drown thyself, and spare thy mother shame!" "Then I shall not marry Elsje?" exclaimed Nanking, bursting into tears. "No!" stormed Peter Alrichs; "thou shalt marry a calf. Away!" When Nanking arrived home he found his mother sitting very close to Ffob Oothout. He told his tale with a broken heart.
"I have been a great man in the last few days. I have lived among the fierce Susquehannocks. Presently you shall see something that you shall see!" Peter Alrichs also came down to the quay with his pretty daughter, who could no longer keep her secret. "Good Nanking," she whispered, "is building a nest for a real stork. He has found one, just like the dear creatures in Holland!"
"Big sweetheart," she said, "what a smart man you would be if you could only make me a bigger doll than this, which would open and shut its eyes and cry 'fus; hush!" Nanking left New Amstel at moonlight, at the head of a little procession, carrying gay cloths and plenty of rum for the Susquehannocks. The last words Peter Alrichs said to him were: "You must talk wisely, Nanking.
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