le and left
the anchor in the canal," answered the sober sailor. "But we will tow
her alongside another vessel and make her fast, where she will remain
safe enough till I have conveyed you, Mynheers, and your luggage to the
shore. We sailors make it a point of honour to look after our shipmates
when they get overtaken by too abundant potations of schiedam or any
other liquor."

"But you do not mean to say that you ever get overtaken?" asked the
Count.

"Not unless it is my turn to enjoy that pleasure," answered the sober
sailor. "It was my turn to-night to keep sober, as it would never do
for the whole crew to get drunk together." Having said this, the sober
sailor stepped into the boat, and towed the sloop up to a vessel which
lay conveniently near. Having secured her, and informed her skipper and
crew of the condition of his skipper and crew, he pulled away up to the
landing-place, carrying the Count and Baron, with their portmanteaus and
umbrellas. They were not long, after landing, in finding a hotel, on
entering which the first words the Baron uttered were, "Supper for two."

"I thought that you had supped," remarked the Count.

"My dear Count, do you think I should be so uncourteous as not to eat a
second to keep you company?" said the Baron, smiling blandly. They,
were soon seated at table, and the Baron did ample justice to his second
supper.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

"Then here we are in Amsterdam," said the Count to the Baron, as they
sauntered out of their hotel after breakfast. "I wonder whether all
these people have come to do us honour on hearing of our arrival."

"They probably have not heard of our arrival," said the Baron. "They
are, as you will perceive, market people, and others who have come in
these boats surrounding the landing-slips;" and he pointed across the
crowd which thronged the quay to the canal, on which boats of various
sizes were coming and going, mostly laden with cheeses and other
merchandise to supply the city of Amsterdam.

"Ah, yes; you are probably correct," remarked the Count. "Now let us
set forth and inspect this great city."

A guide, who had noticed them leaving the hotel, offered his services to
conduct them through the streets, and to give them the information which
as strangers they would naturally require.

"Thank you," said the Baron, who, thinking him a very polite gentleman,
made him a bow. "We accept your services."

"Come then, Mynheers, come then,