Little Philippe of Belgium Part 14

From Ostend they journeyed to Courtrai (=koo-tre'=) and the flax fields.

Philippe noticed how much the Belgian people living near the border of France resemble the French people.

In sections of Belgium close to Holland, the people wear wooden shoes and look very Dutch. Their language, Flemish, is indeed almost the same as the Dutch language.

As they wandered through the Belgian villages the smell of cows and fresh hay greeted their nostrils.

Nearly everyone is poor in these villages. The women wear bedroom slippers in the street.

They now came to Tournai (=toor-ne'=), which is one of the most ancient towns in Belgium. It dates from the time of Julius Caesar.

As they approached the city of Mons, (=mons=) they pa.s.sed great coal mines. These mines were taken over by the Germans during the World War.

While armies were fighting in France and destroying French property, Belgian farms and factories were being well run by the Germans. That is why our travelers, wandering over the country of Belgium, saw few ruins.

They trudged along black roads and pa.s.sed great chimney stacks.

Several times Philippe had sent money home to his parents.

But one day Tom said, "I must ask you to give me all the money you make.

It is I who feed and clothe you. And now you belong to me."

Philippe had a strange feeling then.

He answered, "But I must send my parents some of what I make. It is only fair."

Tom scowled fearfully and snapped, "You will do as I say!"

After that time Philippe worried. He told Zelie, but she said nothing.

She looked very sad, however.

Then one evening while they were having supper by the side of the road, Tom announced, "It is time that Philippe learned our business, eh, Zelie?"

Zelie started and turned very pale, but she did not answer.

"Listen," continued Tom. He leaned over toward Philippe. "Do you see that farm over there?"

He pointed to a little peaceful-looking farm in the distance. Philippe nodded. He wondered what Tom was going to say. Tom had never talked like this before.

"Tonight we shall go to that farm," Tom went on, "and we shall take a wheelbarrow along, and we shall help ourselves to all the fine vegetables there. Tomorrow we shall set up in the market place. You have sold vegetables in market places before, eh, my Philippe?"

But the boy could not answer. He was horrified.

It all came to him then. This was the vegetable thief--the man who had stolen his own father's vegetables! Tom! Oh, what a foolish boy he had been! Why hadn't he listened to his parents? He was traveling with a thief!

Tom said in an irritable voice, "Come on, boy! Don't stare at me like that! Wake up, and we shall teach you!"

But Philippe had jumped up quickly and stood before Tom. His fists were clenched and his cheeks burned.

"No, no! I won't steal," he cried. "It is wicked to steal! I will not help you!"

Tom only smiled calmly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "NO, NO! I WON'T STEAL!"]

Then he said, "Oh, very well, my boy. Do not excite yourself. You need not come along, since you feel that way. Zelie and I have always done well. We can still get along without you. You shall do your work by singing, and we by stealing. That is simple."

But Philippe was angry.

"Oh, you wicked man!" he cried. "I will not stay with you any longer. I am going home!"

Then Tom caught hold of the boy's arm. Tom's eyes flashed.

"No!" he said firmly, "No. You had better not try that. You are mine, and you shall stay with me!"

That night Tom locked Philippe in the room of a little hotel while he and Zelie went to the farm.

Philippe wrote a letter to his father. He told all of what had happened.

He begged forgiveness and asked his father to come and get him.

But when Tom returned, he found the letter and burned it.

"Do not try any tricks," he said, "for you will be sorry."

He yawned sleepily and went to bed.

When Philippe heard Tom's snores, he tried to run away. But Zelie stopped him at the door.

"Don't go," she said. "Please don't go. He will find you, and then he will beat you."

"How do you know?" asked Philippe.

"Because," Zelie replied, "he has done it to me!"

And then Philippe knew why Zelie's eyes were so sad and held a look of fear.

"Oh, Zelie," Philippe cried, "I am so sorry for you. You are so brave."

Zelie then began to cry softly.

"Sometimes I am very sad," she sobbed. "That is why I was so glad to see you. Before you came, oh, he made me work so hard!"

"Do not cry, Zelie," said Philippe, "but tell me all about it. I will protect you."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "DO NOT CRY, ZELIE"]

Philippe suddenly felt very brave. He felt like one of those knights he had seen in the film. He felt like a hero out of a fairy tale. He knew that he was only a boy, but he had great courage, and he wanted to protect Zelie.