vate museums, the old palace, the new palace, two or three
churches, the town hall, and various other sights which tourists,
arriving at the Hague, usually like to view. Mr. George made a list of
all these, and opposite to each he marked the time which the
commissioner said would be required to see it well. After completing
this list, he said,--

"And there is a great watering place on the sea shore, not far from
this, I believe."

"Yes, sir," said the commissioner, "about three miles."

"Is it a pleasant ride there?" asked Mr. George.

"Yes, sir," replied the commissioner. "It is a _very_ pleasant ride. You
can go one way and return another. It is a very fashionable place. The
queen and the princesses go there every summer."

"Very well; it takes about two hours and a half, I suppose, to go there
and return," said Mr. George.

"Yes, sir," said the commissioner.

"Very well," said Mr. George. "Have the carriage ready in---- Shall we
say half an hour, Mrs. Parkman? Shall you be ready in half an hour?"

Mrs. Parkman said that she should be ready in half an hour, and so Mr.
George appointed that time, and then the commissioner went away.

Mr. George added up all the periods of time that the commissioner had
said would be required for the several sights, and found that there
would be time for them to see the whole, and yet be ready for the
afternoon train for Amsterdam, where Mr. and Mrs. Parkman were going
next. So Mrs. Parkman concluded not to omit any from the list, but to go
and see the whole.

In half an hour the carriage was at the door, and in ten or fifteen
minutes afterwards Mrs. Parkman was ready. Just before they went, Mr.
George rang the bell again, and called for the bill, requesting the
waiter to see that every thing was charged--carriage, servants,
commissioner, and all. When it came, Mr. Parkman took out his purse,
expecting to pay it himself, but Mr. George took out his purse too.

"The amount," said Mr. George, looking at the footing of the bill, "is
forty-five guilders and some cents. Your share is, say twenty-two
guilders and a half."

"No, indeed," said Mr. Parkman. "My share is the exact footing of the
bill. You have nothing to do with this payment."

"Yes," said Mr. George. "I have just one half to pay for Rollo and me.
We are four in all, and Rollo and I are two."

Mr. Parkman seemed extremely unwilling to allow Mr. George to pay any
thing at all; but Mr. George insisted upon it, and