hans brinker-第31部分

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〃I　can't　help　that；〃　was　Jacob's　meek　reply。　　〃See！　they　are　nearing　the　turn　of　the　canal。〃

〃NOW　we　can　see！〃　cried　Ludwig　in　great　excitement。

〃Peter　will　make　it　first；　I　know。〃

〃He　can'tfor　Ben　is　ahead！〃　insisted　Carl。　　〃Gunst！　　That　iceboat　will　run　over　him。　　No！　　He　is　clear！　　They're　a　couple　of　geese；　anyhow。　　Hurrah！　they're　at　the　turn。　　Who's　ahead？〃

〃Peter！〃　cried　Ludwig　joyfully。

〃Good　for　the　captain！〃　shouted　Lambert　and　Jacob。

And　Carl　condescended　to　mutter；　〃It　IS　Peter　after　all。　　I　thought；　all　the　time；　that　head　fellow　was　Ben。〃

This　turn　in　the　canal　had　evidently　been　their　goal；　for　the　two　racers　came　to　a　sudden　halt　after　passing　it。

Carl　said　something　about　being　〃glad　that　they　had　sense　enough　to　stop　and　rest；〃　and　the　four　boys　skated　on　in　silence　to　overtake　their　companions。

All　the　while　Carl　was　secretly　wishing　that　he　had　kept　on　with　Peter　and　Ben；　as　he　felt　sure　he　could　easily　have　come　out　winner。　　He　was　a　very　rapid；　though　by　no　means　a　graceful；　skater。

Ben　was　looking　at　Peter　with　mingled　vexation；　admiration；　and　surprise　as　the　boys　drew　near。

They　heard　him　saying　in　English；　〃You're　a　perfect　bird　on　the　ice；　Peter　van　Holp。　　The　first　fellow　that　ever　beat　me　in　a　fair　race；　I　can　tell　you！〃

Peter；　who　understood　the　language　better　than　he　could　speak　it；　returned　a　laughing　bow　at　Ben's　compliment　but　made　no　further　reply。　　Possibly　he　was　scant　of　breath　at　the　time。

〃Now；　Penchamin；　vat　you　do　mit　yourself？　　Get　so　hot　as　a　fire　brickdat　ish　no　goot；〃　was　Jacob's　plaintive　comment。

〃Nonsense！〃　answered　Ben。　　〃This　frosty　air　will　cool　me　soon　enough。　　I　am　not　tired。〃

〃You　are　beaten；　though；　my　boy；〃　said　Lambert　in　English；　〃and　fairly　too。　　How　will　it　be；　I　wonder；　on　the　day　of　the　grand　race？〃

Ben　flushed　and　gave　a　proud；　defiant　laugh；　as　if　to　say；　〃This　was　mere　pastime。　　I'm　DETERMINED　to　beat　then；　come　what　will！〃




Boys　and　Girls



By　the　time　the　boys　reached　the　village　of　Voorhout；　which　stands　near　the　grand　canal；　about　halfway　between　The　Hague　and　Haarlem；　they　were　forced　to　hold　a　council。　　The　wind；　though　moderate　at　first；　had　grown　stronger　and　stronger；　until　at　last　they　could　hardly　skate　against　it。　　The　weather　vanes　throughout　the　country　had　evidently　entered　into　a　conspiracy。

〃No　use　trying　to　face　such　a　blow　as　this；〃　said　Ludwig。　　〃It　cuts　its　way　down　a　man's　throat　like　a　knife。〃

〃Keep　your　mouth　shut；　then；〃　grunted　the　affable　Carl；　who　was　as　strong…chested　as　a　young　ox。　　〃I'm　for　keeping　on。〃

〃In　this　case；〃　interposed　Peter；　〃we　must　consul　the　weakest　of　the　party　rather　than　the　strongest。〃

The　captain's　principle　was　all　right；　but　its　application　was　not　flattering　to　Master　Ludwig。　　Shrugging　his　shoulders；　he　retorted；　〃Who's　weak？　　Not　I；　for　one；　but　the　wind's　stronger　than　any　of　us。　　I　hope　you'll　condescend　to　admit　that！〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　Van　Mounen；　who　could　barely　keep　his　feet。　　〃So　it　is。〃

Just　then　the　weather　vanes　telegraphed　to　each　other　by　a　peculiar　twitchand；　in　an　instant；　the　gust　came。　　It　nearly　threw　the　strong…chested　Carl；　it　almost　strangled　Jacob　and　quite　upset　Ludwig。

〃This　settles　the　question；〃　shouted　Peter。　　〃Off　with　your　skates！　　We'll　go　into　Voorhout。〃

At　Voorhout　they　found　a　little　inn　with　a　big　yard。　　The　yard　was　well　stocked；　and　better　than　all；　was　provided　with　a　complete　set　of　skittles；　so　our　boys　soon　turned　the　detention　into　a　frolic。　　The　wind　was　troublesome　even　in　that　sheltered　quarter；　but　they　were　on　good　standing　ground　and　did　not　mind　it。

First　a　hearty　dinnerthen　the　game。　　With　pins　as　long　as　their　arms　and　balls　as　big　as　their　heads；　plenty　of　strength　left　for　rolling；　and　a　clean　sweep　of　sixty　yards　for　the　strokesno　wonder　they　were　happy。

That　night　Captain　Peter　and　his　men　slept　soundly。　　No　prowling　robber　came　to　disturb　them；　and；　as　they　were　distributed　in　separate　rooms；　they　did　not　even　have　a　bolster　battle　in　the　morning。

Such　a　breakfast　as　they　ate！　　The　landlord　looked　frightened。　　When　he　had　asked　them　where　they　〃belonged；〃　he　made　up　his　mind　that　the　Broek　people　starved　their　children。　　It　was　a　shame。　　〃Such　fine　young　gentlemen　too！〃

Fortunately　the　wind　had　tired　itself　out　and　fallen　asleep　in　the　great　sea　cradle　beyond　the　dunes。　　There　were　signs　of　snow；　otherwise　the　weather　was　fine。

It　was　mere　child's　play　for　the　well…rested　boys　to　skate　to　Leyden。　　Here　they　halted　awhile；　for　Peter　had　an　errand　at　the　Golden　Eagle。

He　left　the　city　with　a　lightened　heart；　Dr。　Boekman　had　been　at　the　hotel；　read　the　note　containing　Hans's　message；　and　departed　for　Broek。

〃I　cannot　say　that　it　was　your　letter　sent　him　off　so　soon；〃　explained　the　landlord。　　〃Some　rich　lady　in　Broek　was　taken　bad　very　sudden；　and　he　was　sent　for　in　haste。〃

Peter　turned　pale。

〃What　was　the　name？〃　he　asked。

〃Indeed；　it　went　in　one　ear　and　out　of　the　other；　for　all　I　hindered　it。　　Plague　on　people　who　can't　see　a　traveler　in　comfortable　lodgings；　but　they　must　whisk　him　off　before　one　can　breathe。〃

〃A　lady　in　Broek；　did　you　say？〃

〃Yes。〃　　Very　gruffly。　　〃Any　other　business；　young　master？〃

〃No；　mine　host；　except　that　I　and　my　comrades　here　would　like　a　bite　of　something　and　a　drink　of　hot　coffee。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　landlord　sweetly；　〃a　bite　you　shall　have；　and　coffee；　too；　the　finest　in　Leyden。　　Walk　up　to　the　stove；　my　mastersnow　I　think　againthat　was　a　widow　lady　from　Rotterdam；　I　think　they　said；　visiting　at　one　Van　Stoepel's　if　I　mistake　not。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Peter；　greatly　relieved。　　〃They　live　in　the　white　house　by　the　Schlossen　Mill。　　Now；　mynheer；　the　coffee；　please！〃

What　a　goose　I　was；　thought　he；　as　the　party　left　the　Golden　Eagle；　to　feel　so　sure　that　it　was　my　mother。　　But　she　may　be　somebody's　mother；　poor　woman；　for　all　that。　　Who　can　she　be？　　I　wonder。

There　were　not　many　upon　the　canal　that　day；　between　Leyden　and　Haarlem。　　However；　as　the　boys　neared　Amsterdam；　they　found　themselves　once　more　in　the　midst　of　a　moving　throng。　　The　big　ysbreeker　*｛Icebreaker。　　A　heavy　machine　armed　with　iron　spikes　for　breaking　the　ice　as　it　is　dragged　along。　　Some　of　the　small　ones　are　worked　by　men；　but　the　large　ones　are　drawn　by　horses；　sixty　or　seventy　of　which　are　sometimes　attached　to　one　ysbreeker。｝　had　been　at　work　for　the　first　time　that　season；　but　there　was　any　amount　of　skating　ground　left　yet。

〃Three　cheers　for　home！〃　cried　Van　Mounen　as　they　came　in　sight　of　the　great　Western　Dock　（Westelijk　Dok）。　　〃Hurrah！　　Hurrah！〃　shouted　one　and　all。　　〃Hurrah！　　Hurrah！〃

This　trick　of　cheering　was　an　importation　among　our　party。　　Lambert　van　Mounen　had　brought　it　from　England。　　As　they　always　gave　it　in　English；　it　was　considered　quite　an　exploit　and；　when　circumstances　permitted；　always　enthusiastically　performed；　to　the　sore　dismay　of　their　quiet…loving　countrymen。

Therefore；　their　arrival　at　Amsterdam　created　a　great　sensation；　especially　among　the　small　boys　on　the　wharf。

The　Y　was　crossed。　　They　were　on　the　Broek　canal。

Lambert's　home　was　reached　first。

〃Good…bye；　boys！〃　he　cried　as　he　left　them。　　〃We've　had　the　greatest　frolic　ever　known　in　Holland。〃

〃So　we　have。　　Good…bye；　Van　Mounen！〃　answered　the　boys。

〃Good…bye！〃

Peter　hailed　him。　　〃I　say；　Van　Mounen；　the　classes　begin　tomorrow！〃

〃I　know　it。　　Our　holiday　is　over。　　Good…bye；　again。〃

〃Good…bye！〃

Broek　came　in　sight。　　Such　meetings！　　Katrinka　was　upon　the　canal！　　Carl　was　delighted。　　Hilda　was　there！　　Peter　felt　rested　in　an　instant。　　Rychie　was　there！　　Ludwig　and　Jacob　nearly　knocked　each　other　over　in　their　eagerness　to　shake　hands　with　her。

Dutch　girls　are　modest　and　generally　quiet；　but　they　have　very　glad　eyes。　　For　a　few　moments　it　was　hard　to　decide　whether　Hilda；　Rychie；　or　Katrinka　felt　the　most　happy。

Annie　Bouman　was　also　on　the　canal；　looking　even　prettier　than　the　other　maidens　in　her　graceful　peasant's　costume。　　But　she　did　not　mingle　with　Rychie's　party；　neither　did　she　look　unusually　happy。

The　one　she　liked　most　to　see　was　not　among　the　newcomers。　　Indeed；　he　was　not　upon　the　canal　at　all。　　She　had　not　been　near　Broek　before；　since　the　Eve　of　Saint　Nicholas；　for　she　was　staying　with　her　sick　grandmother　in　Amsterdam　and　had　been　granted　a　brief　resting　spell；　as　the　grandmother　called　it；　because　she　had　been　such　a　faithful　little　nurse　night　and　day。

Annie　had　devoted　her　resting…spell　to　skating　with　all　her　might　toward　Broek　and　back　again；　in　the　hope　of　meeting　her　mother　on　the　canal；　or；　it　might　be；　Gretel　Brinker。　　Not　one　of　them　had　she　seen；　and　she　must　hurry　back　without　even　catching　a　glimpse　of　her　mother's　cottage；　for　the　poor　helpless　grandmother；　she　knew；　was　by　this　time　moaning　for　someone　to　turn　her　upon　her　cot。

Where　can　Gretel　be？　thought　Annie　as　she　flew　over　the　ice；　she　can　almost　always　steal　a　few　moments　from　her　work　at　this　time　of　day。　　Poor　Gretel！　　What　a　dreadful　thing　it　must　be　to　have　a　dull　father！　　I　should　be　woefully　afraid　of　him；　I　knowso　strong；　and　yet　so　strange！

Annie　had　not　heard　of　his　illness。　　Dame　Brinker　and　her　affairs　received　but　little　notice　from　the　people　of　the　place。

If　Gretel　had　not　been　known　as　a　goose　girl；　she　might　have　had　more　friends　among　the　peasantry　of　the　neighborhood。　　As　it　was；　Annie　Bouman　was　the　only　one　who　did　not　feel　ashamed　to　avow　herself　by　word　and　deed　the　companion　of　Gretel　and　Hans。

When　the　neighbors'　children　laughed　at　her　for　keeping　such　poor　company；　she　would　simply　flush　when　Hans　was　ridiculed；　or　laugh　in　a　careless；　disdainful　way；　but　to　hear　little　Gretel　abused　always　awakened　her　wrath。

〃Goose　girl；　indeed！〃　she　would　say。　　〃I　can　tell　you　that　any　of　you　are　fitter　for　the　work　than　she。　　My　father　often　said　last　summer　that　it　troubled　him　to　see　such　a　bright…eyed；　patient　little　maiden　tending　geese。　　Humph！　　She　would　not　harm　them；　as　you　would；　Janzoon　Kolp；　and　she　would　not　tread　upon　them；　as　you　might；　Kate　Wouters。〃

This　would　be　pretty　sure　to　start　a　laugh　at　the　clumsy；　ill…natured　Kate's　expense；　and　Annie　would　walk　loftily　away　from　the　group　of　young　goss