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
twitch--and, 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 dinner--then 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 strokes--no 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; o