yle of accommodation; for there appear
to be but two small rooms, and every plank of the walls is out of the
perpendicular, and every beam far off the horizontal, while the floors
resemble the surface of a troubled sea."

The hut was constructed of wood, old planks nailed roughly together,
some running in one direction, some in another. As the travellers
entered they rolled about as if they had suddenly become giddy. The
furniture too was limited; it consisted of a couple of curiously shaped
old chairs, a table and a bedstead of antique form and simple
construction. The walls were adorned with portraits of Peter the Great
and his wife, who certainly, judging by her picture, was no beauty.

"I observe that a number of persons of celebrity have carved their names
on the walls; I think we ought to do the same, to let it be known to all
the world, who come after us, that we have been here," said the Baron,
taking out his penknife. "Here are some names, great persons
undoubtedly, and, as far as I can judge, English; let me see, one is
Jones, the other is Smith, and a third Brown--we will add ours."

"Have the kindness to put mine, then," said the Count. "I should wish
to appear in such excellent company, but carving on wood is not one of
my talents."

The Baron accordingly with the tip of his penknife wrote, or rather
carved, "Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin," putting the date of their
visit. Well satisfied with his performance, he took another glance
round the room, about which the Count had been staggering, looking at
the various corners and crevices, as if he expected to find the Great
Peter in one of them, sawing or planing, or perhaps supping off a bowl
of porridge. The ancient keeper informed them that the building was
erected by a former Queen of Holland--a Princess of Russia--to prevent
this relic of her ancestor being swept off the face of the earth. On
one of the walls was a marble tablet, placed there by the Emperor
Alexander to commemorate a visit he paid to the hut, which showed to the
Count and Baron that another great person had been there before them.

CHAPTER NINE.

On returning to the town of windmills, they encountered the gentleman
who had advised them to pay a visit to the place.

"I am going on to Alkmaar," he observed, "and should be rejoiced to have
your company; it is a place well worth seeing, and you will have further
experience of Dutch scenery on the way."

"We will go, by a