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a child of him as to put an extra kiss 〃for mother〃 upon his forehead。
He was already upon the canal with Carl and Jacob。 Were they thinking about sisters or kisses？ Not a bit of it。 They were so happy to be on skates once more； so impatient to dart at once into the very heart of Broek； that they spun and wheeled about like crazy fellows； relieving themselves； meantime； by muttering something about 〃Peter and donder〃 not worth translating。
Even Lambert and Ben； who had been waiting at the street corner； began to grow impatient。
The captain joined them at last and they were soon on the canal with the rest。
〃Hurry up； Peter；〃 growled Ludwig。 〃We're freezing by inchesthere！ I knew you'd be the last after all to get on your skates。〃
〃Did you？〃 said his brother； looking up with an air of deep interest。 〃Clever boy！〃
Ludwig laughed but tried to look cross； as he said； 〃I'm in earnest。 We must get home sometime this year。〃
〃Now； boys；〃 cried Peter； springing up as he fastened the last buckle。 〃There's a clear way before us！ We will imagine it's the grand race。 Ready！ One； two； three； start！〃
I assure you that very little was said for the first half hour。 They were six Mercuries skimming the ice。 In plain English； they were lightning。 Nothat is imaginary too。 The fact is； one cannot decide what to say when half a dozen boys are whizzing past at such a rate。 I can only tell you that each did his best； flying； with bent body and eager eyes； in and out among the placid skates on the canal； until the very guard shouted to them to 〃Hold up！〃 This only served to send them onward with a two…boy power that startled all beholders。
But the laws of inertia are stronger even than canal guards。
After a while Jacob slackened his speed； then Ludwig； then Lambert； then Carl。
They soon halted to take a long breath and finally found themselves standing in a group gazing after Peter and Ben； who were still racing in the distance as if their lives were at stake。
〃It is very evident；〃 said Lambert at he and his three companions started up again； 〃that neither of them will give up until he can't help it。〃
〃What foolishness；〃 growled Carl； 〃to tire themselves at the beginning of the journey！ But they're racing in earnestthat's certain。 Halloo！ Peter's flagging！〃
〃Not so！〃 cried Ludwig。 〃Catch him being beaten！〃
〃Ha！ ha！〃 sneered Carl。 〃I tell you； boy； Benjamin is ahead。〃
Now； if Ludwig disliked anything in this world； it was to be called a boyprobably because he was nothing else。 He grew indignant at once。
〃Humph； what are YOU； I wonder。 There； sir！ NOW look and see if Peter isn't ahead！〃
〃I think he IS；〃 interposed Lambert； 〃but I can't quite tell at this distance。〃
〃I think he isn't！〃 retorted Carl。
Jacob was growing anxioushe always abhorred an argumentso he said in a coaxing tone； 〃Don't quarreldon't quarrel！〃
〃Don't quarrel！〃 mocked Carl； looking back at Jacob as he skated。 〃Who's quarreling？ Poot； you're a goose！〃
〃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