116 . Hans Brinker

know it was an accident; but that doesn’t help matters. We
must have money, Van Holp, even if you have to sell your
wonderful watch.”

“Sell my mother’s birthday present? Never! I will sell
my coat, my hat — anything but my watch.”

“ Come, come,” said Jacob, pleasantly : “ we are making too
much of this affair. Wecan go home, and start again in a day
or two.” ,

“ You may be able to get another ten-guilder piece,” said
Carl; “but the rest of us will not find it so easy. If we go
home, we stay home, you may depend.”

Our captain, whose good nature had not yet forsaken him for
a moment, grew indignant.

“Do you think I will let you suffer for my carelessness ?”
he exclaimed. “I have three times sixty guilders in my strong
box at home!”

“ Oh! I beg your pardon,” said Carl, hastily, adding, in a
surlier tone, “well, I see no better way than to go back
hungry.”

“J see a better plan than that,” said the captain.

“What is it?”’ cried all the boys.

“ Why, to make the best of a bad business, and go back
pleasantly, and like men,” said Peter, looking so gallant and
handsome, as he turned his frank face and clear blue eyes upon
them, that they caught his spirit.

“ Ho, for the captain!” they shouted.

“ Now, boys, we may as well make up our minds there ’s no
place like Broek, after all; and that we mean to be there in
two hours. Is that agreed to?”

“ Agreed!” cried all, as they ran to the canal.