A great struggle ensued; the blows became more and more violent, first on
one side and then on the other. Suddenly the cart was upset. A fearful
cracking and crashing sounded, and a great heap of red, brown and white
crockery lay on the ground. Dumb with fright, the boys stood and looked
at the destruction.
Stoeffi was the first to recover himself.
"We will say that a wheel came off the cart, and it suddenly fell down."
He immediately picked up a big stone in order to pound out the nail and
take the wheel off from the axle.
"I shall say just how it all happened, that we quarreled, and upset the
wagon," said Sami calmly.
Then Steffi's wrath rose to its height.
"You traitor, you spy and mischief-maker!" he screamed. "You are nothing
but a ragamuffin. We will force you."
"You cannot," said Sami, "and you are no good either! If you were
God-fearing, you would not want to lie so."
"Well, well," they all screamed together, and shaking their fists in the
most threatening way. "You needn't say that. We are just exactly as
God-fearing as you, and even much more so!"
Suddenly a new thought came to Stoeffi. He ran off with all his might, and
Michael and Uli rushed after him. Sami saw that they were hurrying to the
house; he followed slowly after.
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