With many tears she bade him good-bye, and Erick too felt sorry that good old Marianne was going away; but since he might stay in the parsonage, it was indeed a different thing for him than if he had had to remain behind alone.
The weeping Marianne had hardly left the door, when the stately Mayor came in and went with firm steps toward the pastor's study.

Early in the morning, when he was going into the vineyard, he had met the Justice of Peace, and heard from him all the happenings of yesterday, how Erick had spoiled the game for the grape-thieves, and how they, the would-be thieves, had run far beyond the next two villages before they even became aware that it was only their allies who were chasing them.
Kaetheli had learned all that, and had reported it to her father.

The Mayor was quite satisfied with the outcome of the affair, and since he looked on Erick as the saver of his grapes, he now came to the pastor to talk over what could be done for the poor orphan.
The gentlemen held a long consultation, for both were anxious to find the most suitable plan for the boy; but they could not come to an agreement.

The Mayor proposed that since the little fellow did not appear to be very strong, it would be best to apprentice him to an easy trade.

He thought it would be best to put him to board at the tailor's, then he would grow into the trade without much trouble, and would have nice companions in the tailor's own boys; they were suited to each other, for the tailor's sons were also dressed as cleanly and carefully as he was.