ter in the pools,
before scarcely up to his ankles, now reached almost to his knees. "Can
the dykes have been burst through?" he thought. "If so, my fate is
sealed--not only mine, but that of numbers of the inhabitants of the
surrounding district." From the rapid way in which the surface of the
Meer rose he felt convinced that this must be the case. Still the love
of life compelled him to try and save himself, and he did not despair;
although, as far as he could see, no means of making his escape were
likely to present themselves.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

As he was hurrying on along the shore, he saw what looked to him like a
wheelbarrow, with a heap of gourds or inflated skins, or some other
roundish objects, though he could scarcely at the distance distinguish
what they were. He reached the spot. "Come, at all events, if the
waters rise, as I fear they will, these things will enable me to
construct a raft on which I may manage to float on the troubled waters,"
he said to himself.

Lashing them together, he took his seat on the top of this curiously
constructed raft. Scarcely had he done so, when the waters came rushing
over the island, and carried him and his raft far away as they swept
onward in their course. On and on he went, his very natural fear being
that he should be carried into the Zuyder Zee; he soon, however, came in
sight of land raised above the waters, on which he could distinguish
cottages and other buildings.

"Well, this is a new style of navigation, but I ought to be thankful
that I have got something to keep me above water," he said to himself.

He of course, as he glided on, was looking about in all directions, and
he now caught sight in the distance of what he hoped was a boat. Again
and again he cast his eager gaze at the object. Yes, it was a boat, and
a man was in her; he waved his hat and shouted. As he approached, the
Count looked at him; yes, he was, there could be no doubt about it, the
one-eyed mariner, old Pieter, who shouted--

"Hold on, Mynheer! hold on! and I will soon be up to you."

"What, don't you know me?" asked the Count, as Pieter got near.

"Bless me, of course I do; and glad I am to have come to take you on
board, or you might have been carried away into the Zuyder Zee, or
somewhere else, for aught I can tell. When I saw you on board Captain
Jan Dunck's vessel, I tried to get near enough to warn you that you must
beware of him, as I felt sure that he would p