der the trees, was a tow path,
and on the other a broad and smoothly gravelled road.

Two boats were lying moored to the wharves at the side of the canal. One
was a long, sharp, and narrow steamer, which was going through the whole
length of the canal to the Helder. The other was a trekschuyt, or canal
boat, which was going only a short way, to the nearest village.

The passengers that came in the ferry boat divided into two parties, as
they came down the dike. One party went to the steamer, the other to the
trekschuyt. Mr. George and Rollo, of course, went with the last.

The trekschuyt was a curious sort of boat. It was built like the Noah's
ark made for children to play with; that is, it was a broad boat, with a
house in it. The roof of the house, which formed the deck of the boat,
was flat, and there were seats along the sides of it, and a railing
behind them on the margin, to keep people from falling off. At each end
of the house were two flights of steps, leading up to the roof or deck,
and below them another flight, which led down to the little cabins
below.

As soon as Rollo got on board, he first ran up on the deck. He sat down
on the seat upon one side, and then, after looking about a moment, he
ran over to the other side, and sat down there. Then he got up, and said
that he was going below to look at the cabins.

Mr. George, all the time, stood quietly on the deck, looking at the
canal, and at the country around. He could see the canal extending, in a
winding direction, across the country; but the view of it was soon lost,
as the winding of its course brought the dikes on the sides of it in the
way so that they concealed the water. He could, however, trace its
course for some distance, by the masts and sails of vessels which he saw
at different distances rising among the green trees. Along the dike, on
one side, was a high road, and on the other, a tow path. Different boats
were coming and going in the part of the canal that was near. They were
drawn by long and slender lines, that were fastened to a tall mast set
up near the bows of the boat. Some were drawn by men, and some by
horses.

[Illustration: THE TREKSCHUYT.]

Before the trekschuyt had gone far, after it commenced its voyage, a
great ship was seen coming on the canal. She was coming from the Helder.
It was a ship that had come from the West Indies, and was going to
Amsterdam. The wind was contrary for her, and they could not use their
sails,