d. At the same time, if we had
gone by land we should certainly have seen more of it than we are likely
to do now."

"Wait till daylight," said the skipper, "and then you shall see what you
shall see. I would advise you to go below and obtain some sleep, as at
present, I will allow, the landscape is somewhat limited."

"You are right; the chief objects we can distinguish are the tip of your
nose and Pieter's one eye, which I see blinking away when the light of
the binnacle lamp falls on it," observed the Baron. "We will follow
your advice," and he descended the companion-ladder.

The Count also commenced his descent into the cabin, but just before his
head disappeared, he said: "You will oblige me greatly, Captain, by
keeping the vessel as steady as you can; I find it very inconvenient to
be tumbled and tossed about in the way we have been since we left the
Maas."

"Ja, ja," answered the skipper, with a broad grin on his countenance,
which, being dark, the Count did not observe.

CHAPTER FOUR.

"Come on deck, Mynheers! come on deck!" cried the skipper, calling down
the skylight. "The sun will soon rise, you can enjoy a sight of the
land."

The Count and the Baron were soon dressed, and made their appearance on
deck.

"There's the land, Mynheers, and you will soon see the sun rising from
behind it," said the skipper, pointing with no little pride in his
countenance to a long unbroken line of shore rising not many feet above
the level of the ocean, with here and there a windmill towering above
it; its arms just beginning to revolve as the morning breezes filled its
sails. "There is Holland; look and admire."

While he was speaking, the sun, throwing a ruddy light on the dancing
waves, rose behind the long line of coast and its countless windmills.
The wind was fair, and the vessel was still steering northward.

"How soon are we likely to get into the Zuyder Zee?" asked the Count.

"That depends on the continuance of the breeze," answered the skipper.
"If it blows fair for a few hours more, we shall be up to the Helder
before noon; but if it shifts ahead, or a calm comes on, I shall have
the pleasure of your company for some time longer."

"With due respect to you, Captain Jan Dunck, I sincerely hope that the
breeze will continue fair," said the Count, making a polite bow, as he
had no wish to offend the skipper, but felt constrained to speak the
truth. "It is not of you or your galiot that I'm tir