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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4012-h.zip b/4012-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a554d8b --- /dev/null +++ b/4012-h.zip diff --git a/4012-h/4012-h.htm b/4012-h/4012-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a3426f --- /dev/null +++ b/4012-h/4012-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4839 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Dutch Twins + +Author: Lucy Fitch Perkins + +Posting Date: March 10, 2009 [EBook #4012] +Release Date: May, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH TWINS *** + + + + +Produced by Lynn Hill. Dedicated to Luana Rodriquez. HTML +version by Al Haines. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +This book belongs to Lawrence and other children +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +THE DUTCH TWINS +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +By +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Lucy Fitch Perkins +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3> +Geographical Series +</H3> + +<H4> + THE DUTCH TWINS PRIMER. Grade I.<BR> + THE DUTCH TWINS. Grade III.<BR> + THE ESKIMO TWINS. Grade II.<BR> + THE JAPANESE TWINS. Grade IV.<BR> + THE SWISS TWINS. Grade IV.<BR> + THE IRISH TWINS. Grade V.<BR> + THE ITALIAN TWINS. Grades V and VI.<BR> + THE SCOTCH TWINS. Grades V and VI.<BR> + THE MEXICAN TWINS. Grade VI.<BR> + THE BELGIAN TWINS. Grade VI.<BR> + THE FRENCH TWINS. Grade VII.<BR> +</H4> + +<H3> +Historical Series +</H3> + +<H4> + THE CAVE TWINS. Grade IV.<BR> + THE SPARTAN TWINS. Grades V-VI.<BR> + THE PURITAN TWINS. Grades VI-VII.<BR> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<TABLE ALIGN="center" WIDTH="80%"> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="2"> +<A HREF="#intro">INTRODUCTION—KIT AND KAT</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">MARKET DAY WITH FATHER</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">MOTHER'S DAY</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">ONE SUNDAY</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI. </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="2"> +<A HREF="#suggest">SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS</A> +</TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="intro"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +THE DUTCH TWINS +</H1> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +KIT AND KAT +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +This is a picture of Kit and Kat. They are Twins, and they live in +Holland. Kit is the boy, and Kat is the girl. +</P> + +<P> +Of course their real names are not Kit and Kat at all. Their real names +are Christopher and Katrina. But you can see for yourself that such +long names as that would never in the world fit such a short pair of +Twins. So the Twins' Mother, Vrouw Vedder, said, +</P> + +<P> +"They cannot be called Christopher and Katrina until they are four and +a half feet high." +</P> + +<P> +Now it takes a long time to grow four and a half feet of Boy and Girl. +You know, chickens and puppies and colts and kittens always grow up +much faster than twins. Kit and Kat ate a great many breakfasts and +dinners and suppers, and played a great many plays, and had a great +many happy days while they were growing up to their names. I will tell +you about some of them. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +I. +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +One summer morning, very early, Vrouw Vedder opened the door of her +little Dutch kitchen and stepped out. +</P> + +<P> +She looked across the road which ran by the house, across the canal on +the other side, across the level green fields that lay beyond, clear to +the blue rim of the world, where the sky touches the earth. The sky was +very blue; and the great, round, shining face of the sun was just +peering over the tops of the trees, as she looked out. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder listened. The roosters in the barnyard were crowing, the +ducks in the canal were quacking, and all the little birds in the +fields were singing for joy. Vrouw Vedder hummed a slow little tune of +her own, as she went back into her kitchen. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat were still asleep in their little cupboard bed. She gave +them each a kiss. The Twins opened their eyes and sat up. +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit and Kat," said Vrouw Vedder, "the sun is up, the birds are all +awake and singing, and Grandfather is going fishing to-day. If you will +hurry, you may go with him! He is coming at six o'clock; so pop out of +bed and get dressed. I will put some lunch for you in the yellow +basket, and you may dig worms for bait in the garden. Only be sure not +to step on the young cabbages that Father planted." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat bounced out of bed in a minute. Their mother helped them +put on their clothes and new wooden shoes. Then she gave them each a +bowl of bread and milk for their breakfast. They ate it sitting on the +kitchen doorstep. +</P> + +<P> +This is a picture of Kit and Kat digging worms. You see they did just +as their mother said, and did not step on the young cabbages. They sat +on them, instead. But that was an accident. +</P> + +<P> +Kit dug the worms, and Kat put them into a basket, with some earth in +it to make them feel at home. +</P> + +<P> +When Grandfather came, he brought a large fishing-rod for himself and +two little ones for the Twins. There was a little hook on the end of +each line. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder kissed Kit and Kat good-bye. +</P> + +<P> +"Mind Grandfather, and don't fall into the water," she said. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather and the Twins started off together down the long road +beside the canal. +</P> + +<P> +The house where the Twins lived was right beside the canal. Their +father was a gardener, and his beautiful rows of cabbages and beets and +onions stretched in long lines across the level fields by the roadside. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather lived in a large town, a little way beyond the farm where +the Twins lived. He did not often have a holiday, because he carried +milk to the doors of the people in the town, every morning early. +Sometime I will tell you how he did it; but I must not tell you now, +because if I do, I can't tell you about their going fishing. +</P> + +<P> +This morning, Grandfather carried his rod and the lunch-basket. Kit and +Kat carried the basket of worms between them, and their rods over their +shoulders, and they were all three very happy. +</P> + +<P> +They walked along ever so far, beside the canal. Then they turned to +the left and walked along a path that ran from the canal across the +green fields to what looked like a hill. +</P> + +<P> +But it wasn't a hill at all, really, because there aren't any hills in +Holland. It was a long, long wall of earth, very high—oh, as high as a +house, or even higher! And it had sloping sides. +</P> + +<P> +There is such a wall of earth all around the country of Holland, where +the Twins live. There has to be a wall, because the sea is higher than +the land. If there were no walls to shut out the sea, the whole country +would be covered with water; and if that were so, then there wouldn't +be any Holland, or any Holland Twins, or any story. So you see it was +very lucky for the Twins that the wall was there. They called it a dyke. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather and Kit and Kat climbed the dyke. When they reached the +top, they sat down a few minutes to rest and look at the great blue +sea. Grandfather sat in the middle, with Kit on one side, and Kat on +the other; and the basket of worms and the basket of lunch were there, +too. +</P> + +<P> +They saw a great ship sail slowly by, making a cloud of smoke. +</P> + +<P> +"Where do the ships go, Grandfather?" asked Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"To America, and England, and China, and all over the world," said +Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked Kat. Kat almost always said "Why?" and when she didn't, +Kit did. +</P> + +<P> +"To take flax and linen from the mills of Holland to make dresses for +little girls in other countries," said Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Is that all?" asked Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"They take cheese and herring, bulbs and butter, and lots of other +things besides, and bring back to us wheat and meat and all sorts of +good things from the lands across the sea." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I'll be a sea captain when I'm big," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"So will I," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Girls can't," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +But Grandfather shook his head and said: +</P> + +<P> +"You can't tell what a girl may be by the time she's four feet and a +half high and is called Katrina. There's no telling what girls will do +anyway. But, children, if we stay here we shall not catch any fish." +</P> + +<P> +So they went down the other side of the dyke and cut onto a little pier +that ran from the sandy beach into the water. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather showed them how to bait their hooks. Kit baited Kat's for +her, because Kat said it made her all wriggly inside to do it. She did +not like it. Neither did the worm! +</P> + +<P> +They all sat down on the end of the pier, Grandfather sat on the very +end and let his wooden shoes hang down over the water; but he made Kit +and Kat sit with their feet stuck straight out in front of them, so +they just reached to the edge, "So you can't fall in," said Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +They dropped their hooks into the water and sat very still, waiting for +a bite. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, and it grew +hotter and hotter on the pier. The flies tickled Kat's nose and made +her sneeze. +</P> + +<P> +"Keep still, can't you?" said Kit crossly. "You'll scare the fish. +Girls don't know how to fish, anyway." +</P> + +<P> +Pretty soon Kat felt a queer little jerk on her line. She was perfectly +sure she did. +</P> + +<P> +Kat squealed and jerked her rod. She jerked it so hard that one foot +flew right up in the air, and one of her new wooden shoes +went—splash—right into the water! +</P> + +<P> +But that wasn't the worst of it! Before you could say Jack Robinson, +Kat's hook flew around and caught in Kit's clothes and pricked him. +</P> + +<P> +Kit jumped and said "Ow!" And then—no one could ever tell how it +happened—there was Kit in the water, too, splashing like a young +whale, with Kat's hook still holding fast to his clothes in the back! +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather jumped then, too, you may be sure. He caught hold of Kat's +rod and pulled hard and called out, "Steady there, steady!" +</P> + +<P> +And in one minute there was Kit in the shallow water beside the pier, +puffing and blowing like a grampus! +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather reached down and pulled him up. +</P> + +<P> +When Kit was safely on the pier, Kat threw her arms around his neck, +though the water was running down in streams from his hair and eyes and +ears. +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit," she said, "I truly thought it was a fish on my line when I +jumped!" +</P> + +<P> +"Just like a g-g-girl," said Kit. "They don't know how to f-f-fish." +You see his teeth were chattering, because the water was cold. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, anyway," said Kat, "I caught more than you did. I caught you!" +</P> + +<P> +Then Kat thought of something else. She shook her finger at Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit," she said, "Mother told you not to fall into the water!" +</P> + +<P> +"'T-t-twas all your fault," roared Kit. "Y-y-you began it! Anyway, +where is your new wooden shoe?" +</P> + +<P> +"Where are both of yours?" screamed Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Sure enough, where were they? No one had thought about shoes, because +they were thinking so hard about Kit. +</P> + +<P> +They ran to the end of the pier and looked. There was Kat's shoe +sailing away toward America like a little boat! Kit's were still +bobbing about in the water near the pier. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" shrieked Kat; but the tide was going out and carrying her +shoe farther away every minute. They could not get it; but Grandfather +reached down with his rod and fished out both of Kit's shoes. Then Kat +took off her other one and her stockings, and they all three went back +to the beach. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather and Kat covered Kit up with sand to keep him warm while his +clothes were drying. Then Grandfather stuck the Twins' fish-poles up in +the sand and tied the lines together for a clothes-line, and hung Kit's +clothes up on it, and Kat put their three wooden shoes in a row beside +Kit. +</P> + +<P> +Then they ate their luncheon of bread and butter, cheese, and milk, +with some radishes from Father's garden. It tasted very good, even if +it was sandy. After lunch Grandfather said, "It will never do to go +home without any fish at all." +</P> + +<P> +So by and by he went back to the pier and caught one while the Twins +played in the sand. He put it in the lunch-basket to carry home. +</P> + +<P> +Kat brought shells and pebbles to Kit, because he had to stay covered +up in the sand, and Kit built a play dyke all around himself with them, +and Kat dug a canal outside the dyke. Then she made sand-pies in +clam-shells and set them in a row in the sun to bake. +</P> + +<P> +They played until the shadow of the dyke grew very long across the +sandy beach, and then Grandfather said it was time to go home. +</P> + +<P> +He helped Kit dress, but Kit's clothes were still a little wet in the +thick parts. And Kat had to go barefooted and carry her one wooden shoe. +</P> + +<P> +They climbed the dyke and crossed the fields, and walked along the road +by the canal. The road shone, like a strip of yellow ribbon across the +green field. They walked quite slowly, for they were tired and sleepy. +</P> + +<P> +By and by Kit said, "I see our house"; and Kat said, "I see Mother at +the gate." +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather gave the fish he caught to Kit and Kat, and Vrouw Vedder +cooked it for their supper; and though it was not a very big fish, they +all had some. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather must have told Vrouw Vedder something about what had +happened; for that night, when she put Kit to bed, she felt of his +clothes carefully—but she didn't say a word about their being damp. +And she said to Kat: "To-morrow we will see the shoemaker and have him +make you another shoe." +</P> + +<P> +Then Kit and Kat hugged her and said good-night, and popped off to +sleep before you could wink your eyes. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +MARKET DAY WITH FATHER +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +One afternoon Kit and Kat were playing around the kitchen doorstep, +while their Mother sat on a bench by the door, peeling some onions for +supper. It was not yet supper-time, but Vrouw Vedder was always ahead +of the clock with the work. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat had a pan of water and were teaching their ducklings to +swim. They each had one little fat duckling of their very own. The +ducklings squawked when Kit lifted them over the edge of the pan into +the water. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't do that, Kit," said Kat. "The ducklings don't like it. You +didn't like it when you fell into the water, did you?" +</P> + +<P> +"But I'm not a duck," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, anyway, they're tired and want to go to their mother," said Kat. +"Let's do something else! I'll tell you what! Let's go out to the +garden and help Father get the boat loaded for market." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Kit. "May we, Mother?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "and you may ask Father if he will take you +to market with him to-morrow if it's fair. Tell him I said you could +ask." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, goody, goody!" said Kit and Kat, both at once; and they ran as +fast as their wooden shoes would take them out into the garden. +</P> + +<P> +They found their father cutting cabbages and gathering them into piles. +He was stopping to light his pipe, when they reached him. +</P> + +<P> +"O Father!" said Kit and Kat both together. "May we go on the boat to +market with you to-morrow morning? Mother said we might ask!" +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder blew two puffs from his pipe without answering. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll help you load the boat," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Kat, "I can carry a cabbage." +</P> + +<P> +"I can carry two," said Kit. "We'll both be good," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Father, at last. "We'll see how you work! And +to-morrow morning, if it's fair, I'll see! But you must go to bed early +to-night, because you'll have to get up very early in the morning, if +you go with me! Now you each take a cabbage and run along." +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder went back to his work. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat ran to the cabbage-pile. Kat took one, and Kit took +two—just to show that he could. +</P> + +<P> +"When Father says 'I'll see,' he always means 'yes,'" Kat said to Kit. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps it seems queer to you that they should go to market in a boat, +but it didn't seem queer at all to the Twins. +</P> + +<P> +Your see, in Holland there are a great many canals. They cross the +fields like roadways of water, and that is what they really are. Little +canals open into big ones, and big ones go clear to the sea. +</P> + +<P> +It is very easy for farmers to load their vegetables for market right +on a boat. They can pull the boat out into the big canal, and then away +they go to sell their produce in the town. +</P> + +<P> +The canals flow through the towns, too, and make water streets, where +boats go up and down as carriages go here. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins and their father worked like beavers, washing the vegetables +and packing them in baskets, until their good old boat was filled with +cabbages and onions and beets and carrots and all sorts of good things +to eat. +</P> + +<P> +By that time it was nearly dark, and they were all three very hungry; +so they went home. +</P> + +<P> +They found that Mother Vedder had made buttermilk porridge for supper. +The Twins loved buttermilk porridge. They each ate three bowls of it, +and then their mother put them to bed. +</P> + +<P> +This is a picture of the bed! It opened like a cupboard right into the +kitchen, and it was like going to bed on a shelf in the pantry. +</P> + +<P> +The very next thing the Twins knew, it was morning, and there was Vrouw +Vedder calling to them. +</P> + +<P> +"It's market day, and the sun is almost up. Come Kit and Kat, if you +want to go with Father," she said. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins bounced out like two rubber balls. They ate some breakfast +and then ran to the boat. +</P> + +<P> +Father was there before them. He helped them into the boat and put them +both on one seat, and told them to sit still. Then he got in and took +the pole and pushed off. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder stood on the canal bank to see them pass. +</P> + +<P> +"Be good children; mind Father, and don't get lost," she called after +them. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat were very busy all the way to town, looking at the things +to be seen on each side of the canal. +</P> + +<P> +It was so early in the morning that the grass was all shiny with dew. +Black and white cows were eating the rich green grass, and a few +laborers were already in the fields. +</P> + +<P> +They passed little groups of farm buildings, their red-tiled roofs +shining in the morning sun; and the windmills threw long, long shadows +across the fields. +</P> + +<P> +The blue blossoms of the flax nodded to them from the canal bank; and +once, they saw a stork fly over a mossy green roof, to her nest on the +chimney, with a frog in her mouth. +</P> + +<P> +They went under bridges and by little canals that opened into the main +canal. They passed so close to some of the houses that Kit and Kat +could see the white curtains blowing in the windows, and the pots of +red geraniums standing on the sill. In one house the family waved their +hands to Kit and Kat from the breakfast table, and a little farther on +they passed a woman who was washing clothes in the canal. Other boats +filled with vegetables and flowers of all colors passed them. And they +were going to market too. Only no other boat had twins in it. +</P> + +<P> +"Good day, neighbor Vedder," one man called out. "Are you taking a pair +of fat pigs to market?" +</P> + +<P> +By and by they came to the town. There were a great many boats in the +canal here, and people calling back and forth to each other from them. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat saw a boat that the Captain's family lived in. It was like +a floating house. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins thought it must be grand to live on a boat like that, just +going about from town to town, seeing new sights every day. +</P> + +<P> +"We should never have to go to school at all," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +They wished their own boat were big enough to move about in; but Father +told them they must sit very, very still all the time. +</P> + +<P> +There were houses on each side of the canal, in the town, and people +were clattering along over the pavement in their wooden shoes. +</P> + +<P> +The market-place was an open square in the middle of the town. It had +little booths and stalls all about it. The farmers brought their fresh +vegetables and flowers, or whatever they had to sell, into these +stalls, and then sat there waiting for customers. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat helped their father to unload the boat. Then they sat down +on a box, and Father gave them each some bread and cheese to eat; for +they were hungry again. They put the cheese between slices of bread and +took bites, while they looked about. +</P> + +<P> +Soon there were a good many people in the square. Most of them were +women with market baskets on their arms. They went to the different +stalls to see what they would buy for dinner. +</P> + +<P> +A large woman with a big basket on her arm came along to the stall +where Kit and Kat were sitting. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless my heart!" she said. "Are you twins?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Ma'am," said Kit and Kat. And Kat said, "We're five years old." +</P> + +<P> +"O my soul!" said the large woman. "So you are! What are your names?" +</P> + +<P> +"Christopher and Katrina, but they call us Kit and Kat for short." It +was Kat who said this. And Kit said, +</P> + +<P> +"When we are four feet and a half high, we are going to be called +Christopher and Katrina." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well, well!" said the large woman. "So you are! Now my name is +Vrouw Van der Kloot. Are you helping Father?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said the Twins. "We're going to help him sell things." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you may sell me a cabbage and ten onions," said Vrouw Van der +Kloot. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder's eyes twinkled, and he lit his pipe. Kit got a cabbage +for the Vrouw. +</P> + +<P> +"You can get the ten onions," he said to Kat. You see, really Kit +couldn't count ten and be sure of it. So he asked Kat to do it. +</P> + +<P> +Kat wasn't afraid. She took out a little pile of onions in a measure, +and said to Vrouw Van der Kloot, +</P> + +<P> +"Is that ten?" +</P> + +<P> +Then Vrouw Van der Kloot counted them with Kat, very carefully. There +were eleven, and so she gave back one. Then she gave Kat the money for +the onions, and Kit the money for the cabbage. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder said, "Now Kit and Kat, by and by, when you get hungry +again, you can go over to Vrouw Van der Kloot's stall and buy something +from her. She keeps the sweetie shop." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Oh!" cried Kit and Kat. "We're hungry yet! Can't we go now?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, not now," said Father. "We must do some work first." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins helped Father Vedder a long time. They learned to count ten +and to do several other things. Then their father gave them the money +for the cabbage and the ten onions they had sold to Vrouw Van der +Kloot, and said, +</P> + +<P> +"You may walk around the market and look in all the stalls, and buy the +thing you like best that costs just two cents. Then come back here to +me." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat set forth on their travels, to see the world. They each +held the money tightly shut in one hand, and with the other hand they +held on to each other. +</P> + +<P> +"The world is very large," said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +They saw all sorts of strange things in the market. There were tables +piled high with flowers. There was a stall full of birds in cages, +singing away with all their might. One cage had five little birds in +it, sitting in a row. +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit," cried Kat, "let's buy the birds!" +</P> + +<P> +They asked the woman if the birds cost two cents, and she said, +</P> + +<P> +"No, my angels; they cost fifty cents." +</P> + +<P> +You see, now that the Twins could count ten, they knew they couldn't +get the birds for two cents when they cost fifty. So they went to the +next place. +</P> + +<P> +There, there were chickens and ducks for sale. But the Twins had plenty +of those at home. There were stalls and stalls of vegetables just like +Father's, and there were booths where meat and fish and wood and peat +were sold. But the Twins couldn't find anything they wanted that cost +exactly two cents. +</P> + +<P> +At last, what should they see but Vrouw Van der Kloot's fat face +smiling at them from a stall just full of cakes and cookies and bread, +and chocolate, and honey cakes, and goodies of all kinds. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins held up their money. +</P> + +<P> +There on the counter was a whole row of St. Nicholas dolls with currant +eyes, and they knew at once that there was nothing else in all the +market they should like so much! +</P> + +<P> +"Do these cost two cents apiece, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; "they cost one cent apiece." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins were discouraged. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't believe there's a single thing in this whole market that costs +just two cents," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Keep still!" said Kit. "Let me think." +</P> + +<P> +They sat down on the curb. Kat kept still, and Kit took hold of his +head with both hands and thought hard. He thought so hard that he +scowled all over his forehead! +</P> + +<P> +"I tell you what it is, Kat," he said at last. "If those St. Nicholas +dolls cost one cent apiece, I <I>think</I> we could get two of them for two +cents." +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit," said Kat, "how splendidly you can think! Does it hurt you +much? Let's ask Vrouw Van der Kloot." +</P> + +<P> +They went back to the good Vrouw, who was selling some coffee bread to +a woman with a basket. +</P> + +<P> +"O Vrouw Van der Kloot," said Kat, "Kit says that if those St. Nicholas +dolls cost one cent apiece, he <I>thinks</I> we could get two for two cents. +Do you think so?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course you can," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; and she winked at the +lady with the bread. +</P> + +<P> +"But you've got two cents, and I've got two," said Kat to Kit. "If you +should get two Nicholas dolls, why, I should have my two cents left; +shouldn't I? Oh! dear, it won't come out right anyway!" +</P> + +<P> +"Let me think some more," said Kit; and when he had thought some more, +he said, +</P> + +<P> +"I'll tell you what let's! You get two with your two cents, and I'll +get two with mine! And I'll give my other one to Mother and you can +give your other one to Father!" +</P> + +<P> +"That's just what we'll do," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +They went back to Vrouw Van der Kloot. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll take <I>four</I> dolls," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well, well!" said the Vrouw. "So you've figured it all out, have +you?" And she counted out the dolls—"One for Kit, and one for Kat, and +one for Father, and one for Mother, and an extra one for good measure!" +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit, she's given us one more!" said Kat. "Let's eat it right now! +Thank you, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot." +</P> + +<P> +So they ate up the one more then and there, beginning with the feet. +Kit bit one off, and Kat bit the other; and they took turns until the +St. Nicholas doll was all gone. +</P> + +<P> +Then they took the four others, said good-bye to the good Vrouw, and +went back to Father's stall. They found that Father had sold all his +things and was ready to go home. +</P> + +<P> +They carried their empty baskets back to the boat, and soon were on +their way home. The Twins sat on one seat, holding tight to their +dolls, which were growing rather sticky. +</P> + +<P> +The boat was so light that they went home from market much more quickly +than they had come, and it did not seem long before they saw their own +house. There it was, with its mossy roof half hidden among the trees, +and Vrouw Vedder waiting for them at the gate. +</P> + +<P> +Dinner was all ready, and the Twins set the four St. Nicholas dolls in +a row, in the middle of the table. +</P> + +<P> +"There's one for Father, and one for Mother, and one for Kat, and one +for me," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"O Mother," said Kat, "Kit can think! He thought just how many dolls he +could buy when they were one for one cent! Isn't it fine that he can do +that?" +</P> + +<P> +"You've learned a great deal at the market," said Vrouw Vedder. But Kit +didn't say a word. He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands +in his pockets. +</P> + +<P> +"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called +Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat. "Can't I go?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Vrouw Vedder. "Girls shouldn't think much. It isn't good for +them. Leave thinking to the men. You can stay at home and help me." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +III +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +MOTHER'S DAY +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Yesterday was a very long day," said Vrouw Vedder on the morning after +Market Day. "You were gone such a long time." +</P> + +<P> +Kat gave her mother a great hug. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll stay with you all day to-day, Mother," she said. "Won't we, Kit?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Kit; and he hugged her too. +</P> + +<P> +"And we'll help you just as much as we helped Father yesterday. Won't +we, Kit?" +</P> + +<P> +"More," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I shouldn't wonder!" said Father. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall be glad of help," said Vrouw Vedder, "because Grandma is +coming, and I want everything to be very clean and tidy when she comes. +I'm going first to the pasture to milk the cow. You can go with me and +keep the flies away. That will be a great help." +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder put a yoke across her shoulders, with hooks hanging from +each end of it. Then she hung a large pail on one of the hooks, and a +brass milk can on the other. She gave Kat a little pail to carry, and +Kit took some switches from the willow tree in the yard, with which to +drive away the flies. Then they all three started down the road to the +pasture. +</P> + +<P> +Pretty soon they came to a little bridge over the canal, which they had +to cross. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear," said Kat, looking down at the water, "I'm scared!" You see, +there was no railing at all to take hold of, and the bridge was quite +narrow. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho! 'Fraidy cat!" said Kit. "I'll go first and show you how." +</P> + +<P> +"And I'll walk behind you," said Vrouw Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +Kat walked very slowly and held on hard to her pail, and so she got +over the bridge safely. +</P> + +<P> +"When I'm four feet and a half high, I'm going to jump over the canal +on a jumping pole," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"O how brave you are!" said Kat. "I should be scared. And besides I'm +afraid I should drop my shoes in the water." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, of course," said Kit, "boys can do a great many things that +girls can't do." +</P> + +<P> +When they reached the pasture, there was Mevrouw Holstein waiting for +them. Mevrouw Holstein was the cow's name. Kit and Kat named her. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder tucked up her skirts—and that was quite a task, for she +wore a great many of them—and sat down on a little stool. Kit and Kat +stood beside her and waved their willow wands and said "Shoo!" to the +flies; and Vrouw Vedder began to milk. +</P> + +<P> +Mevrouw Holstein had eaten so much of the green meadow grass that Vrouw +Vedder filled both the big pail and the brass can, and the little pail +too, with rich milk. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall have milk enough to make butter and cheese," said Vrouw +Vedder. "There are no cows like our Dutch cows in all the world, I +believe." +</P> + +<P> +"O Mother, are you going to churn to-day?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said the Vrouw, "I have cream enough at home to make a good roll +of butter, and you may help me if you will be very careful and work +steadily." +</P> + +<P> +"I will be very steady," said Kat. "I'm big enough now to learn." +</P> + +<P> +"All Dutch girls must know how to make good butter and cheese," said +Vrouw Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"And boys can drink the buttermilk," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll drink some too," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"There'll be plenty for both," said their mother. +</P> + +<P> +When she had finished milking, Vrouw Vedder shook out her skirts, put +the yoke across her shoulders again and lifted the large pail of milk. +She hung it on one of the hook and the brass milk can on the other. Kat +took the small pail, and they started back home. The milk was quite +heavy, so they walked slowly. +</P> + +<P> +They had crossed the bridge and were just turning down the road, when +what should they see but their old goose and gander walking along the +road, followed by six little goslings! +</P> + +<P> +"O Mother, Mother," screamed Kat; "there is the old goose that we +haven't seen for so long! She has stolen her nest and hatched out six +little geese all her own! They are taking them to the canal to swim." +</P> + +<P> +"Quick, Kit, quick!" said Vrouw Vedder. "Don't let them go into the +canal! We must drive them home." +</P> + +<P> +Kit ran boldly forward in front of them, and Kat ran too. She spilled +some of the milk; but she was in such a hurry that she never knew it, +until afterwards, when she found some in her wooden shoes! +</P> + +<P> +"K-s-s-s!" said the old goose; and she ran straight for the Twins with +her mouth open and her wings spread! The old gander ran at them too. I +can't begin to tell you how scared Kat was then! She stood right still +and screamed. +</P> + +<P> +Kit was scared too; but he stood by Kat, like a brave boy, and shook +his willow switches at the geese, and shouted "Shoo! Shoo!" just as he +did at the flies. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder set her pails down in the road and came up behind, +flapping her apron. Then the old goose and the gander and all the +little goslings started slowly along the road for home, saying cross +words in Goose talk all the way! +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder was working in the garden, when the procession came down +the road. First came the geese, looking very indignant, and the +goslings. Then came Kit with the leaves all whipped off his willow +switches. Then came Kat with her pail; and, last of all, Vrouw Vedder +and the milk! +</P> + +<P> +When the new family of geese had been taken care of, and the fresh milk +had been put away to cool, Vrouw Vedder got out her churn and scalded +it well. Then she put in her cream, and put the cover down over the +handle of the dasher. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Kit and Kat, you may take turns," she said, "and see which one of +you can bring the butter, but be sure you work the dasher very evenly +or the butter will not be good." +</P> + +<P> +"Me first!" said Kat, and she began. Kit sat on a little stool and +watched for the butter. +</P> + +<P> +Kat worked the dasher up and down, up and down. The cream splashed and +splashed inside the churn, and a little white ring of spatters came up +around the dasher. Kat worked until her arms ached. +</P> + +<P> +"Now it's my turn," said Kit. Then he poked the dasher, and the cream +splashed and splashed for quite a long time; but still the butter did +not come. +</P> + +<P> +"Ho!" said Kat. "You're nothing but a boy. Of course you don't know how +to churn. Let me try." And she took her turn. +</P> + +<P> +Dash! Splash! Splash, dash! She worked away; and very soon, around the +dasher, there was a ring of little specks of butter. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Come, butter, come! Come, butter, come!<BR> + Some for a honey cake, and some for a bun,"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +she sang in time to the dasher; and truly, when Vrouw Vedder opened the +churn, there was a large cake of yellow butter! +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder took out the butter and worked it into a nice roll. Then +she gave each of the Twins a cup of buttermilk to drink. +</P> + +<P> +While the Twins drank the buttermilk, their mother washed the churn and +put it away. When she was all through, it was still quite early in the +morning, because they had gotten up with the sun. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we must clean the house," she said. +</P> + +<P> +So she got out her scrubbing-brushes, and mops, and pails, and dusters, +and began. +</P> + +<P> +First she shook out the pillows of the best bed, that nobody ever slept +in, and pushed back the curtains so that the embroidered coverlet could +be seen. Then she put the other beds in order and drew the curtains in +front of them. +</P> + +<P> +She dusted the linen press and left it open just a little, so that her +beautiful rolls of white linen, tied with ribbons, would show. Kat +dusted the chairs, and Kit carried the big brass jugs outside the +kitchen door to be polished. +</P> + +<P> +Then they all three rubbed and scoured and polished them until they +shone like the sun. +</P> + +<P> +"Now it is time to cook the dinner," said Vrouw Vedder. "We will have +pork and potatoes and some cabbage. Kit, run to the garden and bring a +cabbage; and Kat, you may get the fire ready to cook it, when Kit +brings it in." +</P> + +<P> +Kat went to the stove—but it was such a funny stove! It wasn't a stove +at all, really. +</P> + +<P> +There was a sort of table built up against the chimney. It was all +covered with pretty blue tiles, with pictures of boats on them. Over +this table, there was a shelf, like a mantel shelf. There were plates +on it, and from the bottom of the shelf hung some chains with hooks on +them. The coals were right out on the little table. +</P> + +<P> +Kat took the bellows and—puff, puff, puff!—made the coals burn +brighter. She peeped in the kettle to see that there was water in it. +Then she put some more charcoal on the fire. +</P> + +<P> +Kit brought in the cabbage, and Vrouw Vedder cut it up and put it into +the pot of water hanging over the fire. She put the pork and potatoes +in too. +</P> + +<P> +In a little while the pot was bubbling away merrily; and Father Vedder, +who was in the garden, sniffed the air and said, +</P> + +<P> +"I know what we are going to have for dinner." +</P> + +<P> +While the pot boiled, Vrouw Vedder scrubbed the floor and wiped the +window. Then she took her brooms and scrubbing-brush outside. +</P> + +<P> +She scrubbed the door and the outside of the house. She scrubbed the +little pig with soap. The little pig squealed, because she got some +soap in its eyes. She scrubbed the steps—and even the trunk of the +poplar tree in the yard! She scrubbed everything in sight, except +Father Vedder and the Twins! By and by she came to the door and called, +</P> + +<P> +"Come to dinner! Only be sure to leave your wooden shoes outside, when +you come into my clean kitchen." +</P> + +<P> +Here are the shoes, just as they left them, all in a row. And as it was +Saturday, the shoes were scrubbed too, that night. +</P> + +<P> +When the dinner was cleared away, Vrouw Vedder said to the Twins, +</P> + +<P> +"It is almost time for Grandmother to come. Let's walk out to meet her." +</P> + +<P> +They walked clear to the edge of the town before they saw her coming. +They walked on top of the dyke, so they could look right down into the +street, and see all the houses in a row. Grandmother was coming up the +street with a basket on her arm. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you think is in that basket?" Vrouw Vedder asked the Twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Honey cake!" said Kit; and Kat said, "Candy!" +</P> + +<P> +And Kit and Kat were both right. There was a large honey cake and anise +candies, and some currant buns besides! +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother let them peep in and see. They were very polite and did not +ask for any—Vrouw Vedder was proud of the Twins' good manners. +Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"This afternoon, when we have tea, you shall have some." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm glad I ate such a lot of dinner," said Kit to Kat, as they walked +along; "or else I'd just have to have a bun this minute!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Kat, "it's much easier to be polite when you aren't hungry." +</P> + +<P> +When they got home, Kit and Kat took their Grandmother to see the new +goslings, and to see the ducklings too. And Vrouw Vedder showed her the +butter that Kit and Kat had helped to churn; and Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"My, my! What helpers they are getting to be!" Then she said, "How +clean the house is!" and then, "How the brasses shine!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "the Twins helped me make everything clean +and tidy to show to you." +</P> + +<P> +"I guess it's time for honey cake," said Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Then Vrouw Vedder stirred up the fire again and boiled the kettle and +made tea. She took down her best china cups and put them out on the +round table. +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandmother opened her basket and took out the honey cake and buns +and the candy; and Vrouw Vedder brought out her fresh butter. +</P> + +<P> +"I can't stay polite much longer," said Kit to Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother gave them each a thin slice of honey cake and a bun; and +Vrouw Vedder spread some of the butter on the buns—and oh, how good +they were! +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Some for a honey cake,<BR> + And some for a bun,"<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +sang Kat. It didn't take the Twins long to finish them. +</P> + +<P> +When they had drunk their tea, Grandmother brought out her knitting, +and Mother Vedder began to spin. +</P> + +<P> +"How many rolls of linen have you ready for Kat when she marries?" +Grandmother asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I try to make at least one roll each year; so she has four now and I +am working on the fifth one," said Vrouw Vedder. "She shall be as +well-to-do as any farmer's daughter near here, when she marries. See, +this is the last one," and Vrouw Vedder took from the press a roll of +beautiful white linen tied with blue ribbons. +</P> + +<P> +"Is that for me, Mother?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder. "When you marry, we shall have a fine press +full of linen for you." +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't Kit going to have some too?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother laughed. +</P> + +<P> +"The mother of the little girl who will some day marry Kit, is working +now on her linen, no doubt; so Kit won't need any of yours." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins looked very solemn and went out into the yard. They sat down +on the bench by the kitchen door together. Then Kat said, +</P> + +<P> +"Kit, do you suppose we've got to be married?" +</P> + +<P> +"It looks like it," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +Things seemed very dark indeed to the Twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Kat, "I just tell you I'm not going to do it. I'm going to +stay at home with Mother and Father, and you and the ducks and +everything!" +</P> + +<P> +"What will they do with the linen then?" said Kit. "I guess you'll have +to be married." +</P> + +<P> +Kat began to cry. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll just go and ask Mother," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll go with you," said Kit. "I don't want to any more than you do." +</P> + +<P> +So the Twins got down from the bench and went into the kitchen where +Grandmother and Vrouw Vedder were. +</P> + +<P> +Their mother was spinning flax to make linen thread. +</P> + +<P> +"Mother," said the Twins, "will you please excuse us from being +married." +</P> + +<P> +"O my soul!" said Vrouw Vedder. She seemed surprised. +</P> + +<P> +"We don't want to at all," said Kat. "We'd rather stay with you." +</P> + +<P> +"You shan't be married until after you are four feet and a half high +and are called Christopher and Katrina anyway," said Vrouw Vedder. "I +promise you that." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins were much relieved. They went out and fed their ducklings. +They felt so much better that they gave them an extra handful of grain, +and they carried a bun to Father Vedder, who was hoeing in the farthest +corner of the garden. He ate it, leaning on his hoe. +</P> + +<P> +When they went back to the house, it was late in the afternoon. +Grandmother was rolling up her knitting. +</P> + +<P> +"I must go home to Grandfather;" she said. "He'll be wanting his +supper." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins walked down the road as far as the first bridge with +Grandmother. There she kissed them good-bye and sent them home. +</P> + +<P> +When their mother put them to bed that night, Kat said, +</P> + +<P> +"Has this been a short day, Mother?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, very short!" said Vrouw Vedder, "because you helped me so much." +</P> + +<P> +Then she kissed them good-night and went out to feed the pigs, and shut +up the chickens for the night. +</P> + +<P> +When she was gone, Kit said, +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see how they got along before we came. We help so much!" +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Kat; "I don't think—" But what she didn't think, no one +will ever know, because just then she popped off to sleep. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +IV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ONE SUNDAY +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +One Sunday morning in early fall, Kit and Kat woke up and peeped out +from their cupboard bed to see what was going on in the world. +</P> + +<P> +The sun was shining through the little panes of the kitchen window, +making square patches of light on the floor. The kettle was singing on +the fire, and Vrouw Vedder was already putting away the breakfast +things. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder was lighting his pipe with a coal from the fire. He had +on his black Sunday clothes, all ready for church. Father Vedder did +not look at Kit and Kat at all. He just puffed away at his pipe and +said to himself, +</P> + +<P> +"If there are any Twins anywhere that want to go to church with me, +they'd better get dressed and eat their breakfasts." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat tumbled out of the cupboard at once. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder came to help them dress. +</P> + +<P> +I can't tell you how many petticoats she put on Kat, but it was ever so +many. And over them all she put a skirt of plaid. There was a waist of +a different color, and over that a kerchief with bright red roses on +it. And over the skirt she put a new, clean apron. +</P> + +<P> +Kit was dressed very splendidly too. He had full baggy trousers of +velveteen that reached to his ankles, and a jacket that buttoned with +big silver buttons. His trousers had pockets in them. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat both wore stockings, which Vrouw Vedder had knit, and their +best shoes of stout leather. +</P> + +<P> +When they were all dressed, Vrouw Vedder stood them up side by side and +had them turn around slowly to be sure they were all right. +</P> + +<P> +"Now see that you behave well in meeting," she said. "Sit up straight. +Look at the Dominie, and do not whisper." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Mother," said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Then she tied a big apron over each of them and gave them each a bowl +of bread and milk. While they were eating it, Father Vedder went out +and looked at the pigs, and chickens, and ducks, and geese, and smoked +his pipe. +</P> + +<P> +When he came in, Kit and Kat were quite ready. Vrouw Vedder had tied on +Kat's little white-winged cap, and put Kit's hat on. She kissed them +good-bye, and they were off, one on each side of Father Vedder, holding +tight to his hands. +</P> + +<P> +Mother Vedder looked after them proudly, from the doorway. She did not +go to church that day. +</P> + +<P> +They walked slowly along the roadway in the bright sunshine. Many of +their neighbors and friends, all dressed in their best, were walking to +church, too. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder and Kit and Kat went a little out of their way, in order +to pass a large windmill that was swinging its arms around and creaking +out a kind of sleepy windmill song. This is the song it seemed to sing: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Around, and around, and around, I go,<BR> + Sometimes fast and sometimes slow.<BR> + I pump the water and grind the grain,<BR> + The marshy fields of the Lowlands, drain.<BR> + I harness the wind to turn my mill,<BR> + Around, and around, and around with a will!<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps it was listening to the windmill song that made Kat say, +</P> + +<P> +"Why do we have windmills, father?" +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat said "Why?" every few steps on that walk. You see, they +didn't often have their father all to themselves, to ask questions of. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, what a little Dutch girl," said Father Vedder, "not to know what +windmills are for! They pump the water out of the fields, to be sure! +Don't you know how wet the fields are sometimes? If we didn't keep +pumping the water out, they would be so wet we could not make gardens +at all." +</P> + +<P> +"Does the wind pump the water?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course it does, goosie girl! and grinds the grain too. The wind +blows against the great arms and turns them round and round. That works +the pumps; and the pumps suck the water out of the fields, and it is +poured out into the canals. If it weren't for the good old windmills +working away, who knows but the water would get the best of us some day +and cover up all our land!" +</P> + +<P> +"Wouldn't the dykes keep out the sea?" asked Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"Suppose the dykes should break!" said Father Vedder. "Even one little +break can let in lots of water. The dykes have to be watched day and +night all the time, and the least bit of a hole stopped up right away, +so it can't grow any bigger and let in the sea." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh dear," Kat said, "what a leaky country!" +</P> + +<P> +She ran near the mill and let the wind from the fans blow her hair and +the white wings on her cap. +</P> + +<P> +As the great fans swung near the ground, Kit jumped up and caught hold +of one. It lifted him right off the ground as it swung around, and in a +minute he was dangling high in the air. +</P> + +<P> +"Jump, jump, quick," shouted Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +Kit let go and dropped to the ground just in time. In another minute he +would have been carried clear over. +</P> + +<P> +As it was, he sat down very hard on the ground, and had to have the +dirt brushed off of his Sunday clothes. +</P> + +<P> +"I am surprised at you," Father Vedder said, while he brushed him. "You +are too small to swing on windmills, and besides it is the Sabbath day. +Don't you ever do it again until you are big enough to be called +Christopher!" +</P> + +<P> +Sitting down so hard in the dirt had hurt Kit a little bit, and scared +him a good deal, so he said, "No, father." +</P> + +<P> +Then they walked all around the mill. They peeped inside a door which +was open, and saw the pumps working away. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Father Vedder, "it is nip and tuck between wind and water +in Holland. Let us sit down here on the canal bank, in the sunshine, +and I will tell you what hard work has to be done to keep this good +land of ours. And it is a good land! We should be thankful for it! Just +see the rich green meadows over there, with the cows grazing in them!" +Father Vedder pointed to the beautiful fields across the canal. "The +grass is so rich and fresh, that the cows here give more milk than any +other cows in the whole world!" +</P> + +<P> +"That's what Mother says," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"The Holland butter and cheese are famous everywhere," went on Father +Vedder; "and we have all the good milk we want to drink, besides. The +Dutch gardens, too, are the finest in the world." +</P> + +<P> +"And ours is one of the best of Dutch gardens, isn't it, Father?" said +Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a very good garden," said Father Vedder, proudly. "No one can +raise better onions and cabbage and carrots than I can. And the Dutch +bulbs! Our tulips and hyacinths make the whole world bloom!" +</P> + +<P> +"Holland is really the greatest country there is; isn't it?" said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, not in point of size, perhaps," Father Vedder admitted; "but in +pluck, my boy, it is! Did you know that sometimes people call Holland +the Land of Pluck?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see why," said Kat. "I'm Dutch, but I'm afraid of lots of +things! I'm afraid of spiders and of cross geese, and of falling into +the water!" +</P> + +<P> +"You're a girl, if you are Dutch," said Kit. "Boys are always pluckier +than girls; aren't they, Father?" +</P> + +<P> +"Really plucky people never boast," said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +Kit looked the other way and dug the toe of his shoe into the dirt. Kat +snuggled up to her Father and sniffed at Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"So there, Kit!" was all she said. +</P> + +<P> +"There's pluck enough to go round," said Father Vedder mildly, "and we +all need it boys and girls, and men and women too. It was pluck that +made Holland, and it's pluck that keeps her from slipping back into the +sea." +</P> + +<P> +"How did pluck make Holland?" asked Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"There wasn't any Holland in the first place," Father Vedder answered. +"There were only some marshes and some lands under water. But people +built a wall of earth around these flats; and then they pumped out the +water from the space inside the wall, and made canals through the land, +and drained it. And after all that work, we have our rich fields." +</P> + +<P> +"How does pluck keep them?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"The dykes have to be watched and mended all the time," said Father +Vedder. "And the windmills have to work and work, to keep the fields +drained. No one can be lazy in Holland. Each one has to work well for +what he gets. If Holland should grow lazy, she would soon be back again +in the Zuyder Zee! So, my children, you see you must learn well and +work hard. And that is all my sermon to-day." +</P> + +<P> +"It is a better sermon than the Dominie will preach, I know," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Tut, tut! You must never say such things," said Father Vedder. He got +up and held out his hands to the Twins. +</P> + +<P> +"Come! we must walk along, or we shall be late for church," he said. +"Here comes the Dominie now." +</P> + +<P> +There indeed was the Dominie! Kit and Kat knew him well. No one else +dressed as he did. He wore a high silk hat, and long, black coat and +trousers, such as city people wear. +</P> + +<P> +As he came along the road, all the people bowed respectfully; the +little boys took off their caps, and the little girls bobbed a +courtesy. Kit and Kat bobbed and courtesied too, and the Dominie smiled +at them and laid his hand on Kit's head. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish he'd come to see us again," said Kit, after the Dominie had +passed by. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder was pleased. +</P> + +<P> +"I am glad to see that you love your pastor, my son," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Kit, "I don't really like him so very much, because we +have to be washed, and recite the catechism, and mind all our manners +when he comes. But Mother always has such good things to eat when the +Dominie comes—doesn't she, Kat?—cake and preserves and everything!" +</P> + +<P> +"If it weren't for the catechism and such things, it would be something +like St. Nicholas day!" sighed Kat. "But the Dominie never forgets! And +last time I couldn't tell what saving grace was! The cakes are good, +but..." +</P> + +<P> +"Good Dutch boys and girls always learn their catechism well," said +Father Vedder; "then they are glad to see the good Dominie as well as +the cakes. Now no more chatter! Here is a penny for each of you to put +in the bag when it is passed." +</P> + +<P> +He gave them each a penny. Kit put his in his pocket. Kat didn't have a +pocket, so she held hers tight in her hand. +</P> + +<P> +At the church door they met Grandfather and Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather looked very fine indeed, in his black clothes; and +Grandmother was all dressed up in her best black dress, with a fresh +white cap, and a shawl over her shoulders. She carried a large psalm +book with golden clasps in one hand, and a scent bottle in the other. +She had some peppermints too. Kit and Kat smelled them. +</P> + +<P> +They all went into the church together, and an old woman led them to +their seats. Kit and Kat sat one on each side of Grandmother. +Grandfather and Father Vedder sat on the other side of the church with +all the rest of the men. +</P> + +<P> +"You must sit very still and look straight before you," said +Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Kit remembered the peppermints and sat up like a soldier. So did Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came in and went up into the pulpit. He +read a chapter from the Bible, and then the Dominie stood up in the +pulpit and began to preach. He preached a long time. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat tried very hard to sit still, just as Grandmother had said; +but pretty soon their heads began to nod. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother gave them each a peppermint. +</P> + +<P> +They waked up for a minute. But the Dominie kept right on preaching, +until they were both sound asleep with their heads on Grandmother's +shoulders, one on each side; and if they had been awake to see, they +might have thought that Grandmother took a nap too. +</P> + +<P> +The sermon was so very long that a great many people went to sleep. So, +by and by, the Dominie said, +</P> + +<P> +"We will all sing the Ninety-first Psalm." +</P> + +<P> +Everybody woke up. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother opened the great golden clasps of her psalm book, and stood +up with all the rest of the people. She stood up quickly, so that no +one would think she had been asleep. She forgot that the Twins were +asleep too, with their heads on her shoulders. That was why, when she +got up, Kit and Kat fell against each other and bumped their heads! +</P> + +<P> +They forgot that they were in church. They said "Ow!" both together, +and Kat began to cry. But Grandmother said "Sh! sh!" and gave them each +a peppermint; and that made them feel much better. +</P> + +<P> +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came along with a little bag on the end of +a long stick. He passed it to each person. Kit and Kat each put in a +penny, though Kit had a hard time to get his out of his pocket. But +Grandmother was so upset about the Twins getting bumped, that she +forgot and put in a peppermint instead. +</P> + +<P> +When church was over and they were out on the street again, Grandmother +said, +</P> + +<P> +"Now you are coming home with me to stay all night." +</P> + +<P> +"Really and truly?" said the Twins. "And may we go with Grandfather to +carry the milk in the morning?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Grandfather, "and Kit may drive the dogs." +</P> + +<P> +Kit jumped right up and down, he was so happy, even if it was Sunday. +</P> + +<P> +"May I too? May I too?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"You are a girl," said Grandfather. "You may ride in the wagon." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I wish to-morrow would come right away," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Then Kit and Kat said good-bye to Father Vedder and went home with +Grandmother and Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +They lived on a little street in the town, where the houses stood in a +row close together. The houses were built of brick and had wooden +shutters at the windows, and they were so clean they shone in the sun. +</P> + +<P> +This is a picture of Grandmother's house and of Grandmother and Kit and +Kat going in. The door opened right into the kitchen. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother put away her shawl and psalm book and scent bottle as soon +as she was home. Then she put on a big apron and drew out the round +table. +</P> + +<P> +She boiled the kettle and made coffee; and, when it was done, she set +the coffee pot on a pretty little porcelain stove on the table to keep +hot. She got out bread and cheese and smoked beef and, best of all, a +plate of little cakes. +</P> + +<P> +Then they all four sat down to eat. I will not tell you how many cakes +Kit and Kat ate, but it was a good many. +</P> + +<P> +After dinner, Grandmother put away the things, and Kat helped her. +</P> + +<P> +Kit sat beside Grandfather in the doorway while he smoked. Pretty soon +Grandfather said, +</P> + +<P> +"Bring me my accordeon, Kit." +</P> + +<P> +Kit ran to the press in the corner. He knew where the accordeon was +kept. +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandfather took the accordeon, tipped his head back, shut his +eyes and began to play, beating time with one foot. Kat heard the music +and came out too. +</P> + +<P> +She and Kit sat down on the doorstep, one on each side of Grandfather, +to listen. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather played six tunes. +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"Why don't we go to the woods to hear the band play?" +</P> + +<P> +"No reason at all," said Grandfather. So very soon they were on their +way to a grove on the edge of the town. +</P> + +<P> +In the grove a band was playing; and just as the Twins and Grandfather +and Grandmother came up, it began to play the national hymn of Holland. +All the people began to sing. There were a great many people in the +grove, and they all sang as aloud as they could; so there was a great +sound. Grandfather and Grandmother and Kit and Kat all sang too; for +they all knew every word of the hymn. +</P> + +<P> +This is what they sang: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Let him in whom old Dutch blood flows,<BR> + Untainted, free and strong;<BR> + Whose heart for Prince and Country glows,<BR> + Now join us in our song;<BR> + Let him with us lift up his voice,<BR> + And sing in patriot band,<BR> + The song at which all hearts rejoice,<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland,<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + We brothers, true unto a man,<BR> + Will sing the old song yet;<BR> + Away with him who ever can<BR> + His Prince or Land forget!<BR> + A human heart glowed in him ne'er,<BR> + We turn from him our hand,<BR> + Who callous hears the song and prayer,<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland,<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Preserve, O God, the dear old ground<BR> + Thou to our fathers gave;<BR> + The land where we a cradle found,<BR> + And where we'll find a grave!<BR> + We call, O Lord, to Thee on high,<BR> + As near death's door we stand,<BR> + Oh! Safety, blessing to our cry<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland,<BR> + For Prince and Fatherland.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Loud ring thro' all rejoicings here,<BR> + Our prayer, O Lord, to Thee;<BR> + Preserve our Prince, his house so dear<BR> + To Holland great and free!<BR> + From youth thro' life, be this our song,<BR> + Till near to death we stand:<BR> + O God, preserve our sov'reign long,<BR> + Our Prince and Fatherland,<BR> + Our Prince and Fatherland.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Now, while the people were singing with all their might, and the band +was playing, and Kit and Kat were having the most beautiful time they +had ever had in their whole lives, what do you think happened? +</P> + +<P> +Down the long drive through the trees came a great, splendid carriage, +drawn by a pair of beautiful white horses with wavy white tails and +manes. There were two soldiers on horseback riding in front of the +carriage, and the driver of the carriage was dressed in blue and orange +livery. +</P> + +<P> +The carriage was open, and in it sat a beautiful, smiling young lady. +Beside her sat her husband; and a nurse, in the other seat, held a baby +in her arms. +</P> + +<P> +When the people saw the carriage and the lady, they waved their caps +and shouted, "Long live the Queen!" +</P> + +<P> +"Look! Look! Kit and Kat," said Grandfather. "It is your dear Queen +Wilhelmina, and Prince Henry and the little Princess! Wave your hands!" +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat waved with all their might, but they were so short, and the +people crowded beside the driveway so, that neither of them could see. +Then Grandfather caught Kit and lifted him up high, and Grandmother did +the same with Kat. +</P> + +<P> +It was fine to be up so high. Kit and Kat could see everything better +than anyone else there. And when the carriage came by, the queen saw +Kit and Kat! She smiled at them, and the nurse held the little Princess +up high for them to see! Kit and Kat threw kisses to the little +Princess; and the Princess waved her baby hand to Kit and Kat; and then +they were all gone, like a bright dream. +</P> + +<P> +But the soldiers were better to see even than queens, Kit thought. Kat +thought the baby, any baby, was nicer than either. +</P> + +<P> +When the carriage was out of sight, Grandfather and Grandmother set the +Twins down on the ground. Everyone began to talk about the Queen, about +how sweet she was, and how good; and the band played, and everybody was +as happy as they could possibly be. +</P> + +<P> +By and by it was time to go home; for, Grandfather said, "Dutch girls +and boys must learn to get up early in the morning, especially Twins +that are going out with the milk cart." +</P> + +<P> +So they went back to Grandfather Winkle's house; and Grandmother put +them to bed in a little cupboard like their own at home, after they had +had some supper. And the last thing Kat said that night was, +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit, just to think that to-day we saw the Queen and the soldiers, +and the Queen's baby, and to-morrow we are going to drive in the milk +cart! What a beautiful world it is!" +</P> + +<P> +Just as they were dropping off to sleep, they heard a great noise in +the street. +</P> + +<P> +"Clap, clap, clap," it sounded, eight times. +</P> + +<P> +"There goes the Klapper man," said Grandmother Winkle. "Eight o'clock, +and time all honest folk were abed." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +V +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +The next morning Kit and Kat woke up very early, without any one's +calling them. You see, they were afraid they would be too late to go +with the milk cart. +</P> + +<P> +But Grandfather Winkle had only just gone out to get the milk ready, +and they had plenty of time to dress while Grandmother got breakfast. +Grandmother helped with the buttons and the hard parts. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother Winkle's kitchen was quite like the kitchen at home, only a +little nicer. It had red tiles on the floor; and it had ever so many +blue plates hanging around on the walls, and standing on edge in a row +on the shelves. There was a warming-pan with a bright brass cover, +hanging on the wall; and I wish you could have seen the pillows and the +coverlet on the best bed! +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother Winkle had embroidered those all herself, and she was very +proud of them. When she had company, she always drew the curtains back +so that her beautiful bed would be seen. She said that Kit and Kat were +company, and she always left the curtains open when they came to visit +her. +</P> + +<P> +When the Twins were all dressed, Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"Mercy sakes! You have on your best clothes! Now that's just like a man +to promise to take you out in your best clothes in a milk wagon! +Whatever was Grandfather thinking about!" +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat thought she was going to say that they couldn't go, so they +dug their knuckles in their eyes and began to cry. But they hadn't got +farther than the first whimper when Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well, we must fix it somehow. Don't cry now, that's a good Kit +and Kat." So the Twins took their knuckles out of their eyes and began +to smile. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother went to the press and brought out two aprons. One was a +very small apron. It wouldn't reach to Kit's knees. But she put it on +him and tied it around his waist. +</P> + +<P> +"This was your Uncle Jan's when he was a little boy," she said. "It's +pretty small, but it will help some." +</P> + +<P> +Kit wished that Uncle Jan had taken it with him when he went to +America. But he didn't say so. +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandmother took another apron out of the press. It looked as if +it had been there a long time. +</P> + +<P> +"Kat, you must wear this," she said. "It was your mother's when she was +a little girl." +</P> + +<P> +Now, this apron was all faded, and it had patches on it of different +kinds of cloth. Kat looked at her best dress. Then she looked at the +apron. Then she thought about the milk cart. She wondered if she wanted +to go in the milk cart badly enough to wear that apron over her Sunday +dress! She stuck her finger in her mouth and looked sidewise at +Grandmother Winkle. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother didn't say a word. She just looked firm and held up the +apron. +</P> + +<P> +Very soon Kat came slowly—very slowly—and Grandmother buttoned the +apron up behind, and that was the end of that. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins could hardly eat any breakfast, they were in such a hurry to +go. As soon as they had taken the last spoonful, and Grandfather Winkle +had finished his coffee, they ran out into the place where the dogs +were kept, to help Grandfather harness them. +</P> + +<P> +There were two black and white dogs. Their names were Peter and Paul. +</P> + +<P> +The wagon was small, just the right size for the dogs; and it was +painted blue. The bright brass cans full of milk were already in; and +there was a little seat for Kat to sit on. +</P> + +<P> +When the last strap was fastened, Grandfather lifted Kat up and set her +on the seat. She held on with both hands. +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandfather gave the lines to Kit, and a little stick for a whip, +and told him to walk slowly along beside the dogs. He told him to be +sure not to let go of the lines. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather walked behind, carrying some milk cans. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother stood in the door to see them off; and, as they started +away, Kat took one hand off the cart long enough to wave it to her. +Then she held on again; for the bricks in the pavement made the cart +joggle a good deal. +</P> + +<P> +"We must go first to Vrouw de Vet," Grandfather called out. "She takes +one quart of milk. Go slowly." +</P> + +<P> +At first Kit went slowly. But pretty soon there was a great rattling +behind him; and Hans Hite, a boy he knew, drove right past him with his +dog cart! He drove fast; and, as he passed Kit, he stuck out his tongue +and called out, +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Milk for sale! Milk for sale!<BR> + A milk cart drawn by a pair of snails!"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Kit forgot all about going slowly. +</P> + +<P> +"Get up!" he said to the dogs, and he touched them with his long stick. +</P> + +<P> +Peter and Paul "got up." They jumped forward and began to run! +</P> + +<P> +Kit ran as fast as his legs would go beside the dogs, holding the +lines. But the dogs had four legs apiece, and Kit had only two; so you +see he couldn't keep up very well. +</P> + +<P> +Kat began to scream the moment that Peter and Paul began to run. The +dogs thought that something that made a dreadful noise was after them, +and they ran faster than ever. You see, Grandfather Winkle never in the +world screamed like that, and Peter and Paul didn't know what to make +of it. So they ran and ran and ran. +</P> + +<P> +Kat held on the best she could, but she bounced up ever so far in the +air every time the cart struck a bump in the street. So did the milk +cans; and when they came down again, the milk splashed out. +</P> + +<P> +Kat didn't always come down in the same spot. All the spots were hard, +so it didn't really matter much which one she struck as she came down. +</P> + +<P> +But Kat didn't think about that; she just screamed. And Peter and Paul +ran and ran, and Kit ran and ran, until he couldn't run any more; he +just sat down hard on the pavement and slid along. But he didn't let go +of the lines! +</P> + +<P> +When Kit sat down, it jerked the dogs so hard that they stopped +suddenly. But Kat didn't stop; she went right on. She flew out over the +front of the cart and landed on the ground, among all of Peter and +Paul's legs! Then she stopped going, but she didn't stop screaming. +</P> + +<P> +And, though Kit was a boy, he screamed some too. Then Peter and Paul +pointed their noses up in the air and began to howl. +</P> + +<P> +Way back, ever so far, Grandfather was coming along as fast as he +could; but that wasn't very fast. +</P> + +<P> +All the doors on the street flew open, and all the good housewives came +clattering out to see what was the matter. They picked Kat up and told +her not to cry, and wiped her eyes with their aprons, and stood Kit on +his feet, and patted the dogs; and pretty soon Peter and Paul stopped +barking, and Kit and Kat stopped screaming, and then it was time to +find out what had really happened. +</P> + +<P> +Neither of the Twins had any broken bones; the good housewives wiggled +all their arms and legs, and felt of their bones to see. But shocking +things had happened, nevertheless! Kat had torn a great hole in the +front of her best dress; and Kit had worn two round holes in the seat +of his Sunday clothes, where he slid along on the pavement; and, +besides that, the milk was slopped all over the bottom of the cart! +</P> + +<P> +Just then Grandfather came up. If it hadn't been that his pipe was +still in his mouth, I really don't know what he might not have said! He +looked at the cart, and he looked at the Twins. Then he took his pipe +out of his mouth and said sternly to Kit, +</P> + +<P> +"Why didn't you do as I told you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I did," said Kit, very much scared. "You told me to be sure to hold +tight to the lines, and I did! I never let go once." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and look at his clothes," said one of the women. She turned him +around and showed Grandfather the holes. +</P> + +<P> +"I told you to go slowly," said Grandfather. "Now look at the cart, and +see what you've done by not minding, spoiled your best clothes and +Kat's, and spilled the milk! Go back to Grandmother." +</P> + +<P> +"But I couldn't mind twice at one time," said Kit. "I was minding about +not letting go." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh dear," sobbed Kat, "I wish we were four and a half feet high now! +If we were, this never would have happened." +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather took the dogs and went on to Vrouw de Vet's, without +another word. +</P> + +<P> +The Twins took each other's hands, and walked back to Grandmother's +house. Quite a number of little boys and girls in wooden shoes +clattered along with them. Grandmother heard all the noise, and ran to +the door to see what was the matter. +</P> + +<P> +"Laws a mercy me, I told you so!" she cried, the moment she saw them. +"Look at your clothes! See how you've torn them!" +</P> + +<P> +"I can't see the holes in mine," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"But I can," said Kat. And then all the children talked at once; and +what with wooden shoes and the tongues all going, Grandmother clapped +her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. Then she took Kit and +Kat into the kitchen and shut the door. She put on her glasses and got +down on the floor so she could see better. +</P> + +<P> +Then she turned Kit and Kat all around and looked at the holes. "O! my +soul!" she said. She took off the aprons and the torn clothes and put +the Twins to bed while she mended. +</P> + +<P> +She got out a pair of Grandfather's oldest velveteen breeches that had +been patched a great deal, and found a good piece to patch with. Then +she patched the holes in Kit's breeches so neatly that one had to look +very carefully indeed to see that there had ever been any holes there +at all. +</P> + +<P> +Then she patched Kat's dress; and, when it was all done, she shook it +out and said to herself, +</P> + +<P> +"Seems to me those Twins have been quiet for a long time." +</P> + +<P> +She went over to the cupboard bed; and there were Kit and Kat fast +asleep; with their cheeks all stained with tears and dirt. Grandmother +Winkle kissed them. Kit and Kat woke up, and Grandmother dressed them +in their Sunday clothes again, and washed their faces and made them +feel as good as new. +</P> + +<P> +By and by Grandfather Winkle came home from going about with the milk. +Grandmother Winkle scrubbed the cart and made it all clean again; and +by noon you would never have known, unless you had looked very, very +closely—much more closely than would be polite—that anything had +happened to the Twins or the milk cart, or their clothes or anything. +</P> + +<P> +After they had eaten their dinner, and the dogs were rested and +Grandfather had smoked his pipe he said, +</P> + +<P> +"Kit, if you think you can mind, I will take you and Kat both home in +the dog cart." Kit and Kat both nodded their heads very hard. "Only, +I'll do the driving myself," said Grandfather Winkle. And he did. +</P> + +<P> +He put Kit and Kat both on the seat, and he walked slowly beside the +cart. They went out on the road beside the canal toward home. They got +there just as the sun was getting low in the west, and Vrouw Vedder was +going out to feed her chickens. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +VI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +One morning, when Kit and Kat ran out early to feed their ducklings, +the frost nipped their noses and ears. +</P> + +<P> +"It's getting colder every day. Very soon winter will come," Kat said. +</P> + +<P> +They ran down to the canal. The old goose and the gander and the +goslings—now half grown—were standing on the bank, looking unhappy: +there was a thin sheet of ice all over the canal, and they could not go +swimming. +</P> + +<P> +Kit took a stick and broke the ice. Thin sheets of it, like pieces of +broken glass, were soon floating about; and the old goose, the gander, +and all the goslings went down the bank in a procession into the water. +</P> + +<P> +They swam about among the pieces of ice for a while, but it was so cold +that they soon came up on the bank into the sun again and wiggled their +tails to shake out the water. Then they all sat down in the sun to get +their feet warm. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat ran up and down the road and played tag until their cheeks +were red and they were warm as toast. Then they ran into Vrouw Vedder's +warm kitchen. +</P> + +<P> +The kettle was singing on the fire, and there was a smell of coffee in +the air. Vrouw Vedder gave the Twins some in a large cup. She put in a +good deal of milk and gave them each a piece of sugar to sweeten it +with. +</P> + +<P> +"Is it Sunday?" asked Kat. On Sundays they sometimes had coffee. On +other days they had milk. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Vrouw Vedder; "but it is cold, and I thought a cup of coffee +would warm us all up." +</P> + +<P> +While they were drinking their coffee, Kit and Kat talked about the +ice, and what fun they would have with their sleds on the canals when +winter came. +</P> + +<P> +"I tell you what it is, Kat," said Kit; "I think we're big enough to +have skates. Hans Hite isn't much bigger than I am, and he had skates +last winter. I mean to ask Father this very day." +</P> + +<P> +"Yah," said Kat—that is the way Dutch Twins always say yes—"Yah, and +let us be very good and help mother all we can. I think maybe they will +give skates to good Twins quite soon, even if we aren't very big +yet—not big enough to be called Christopher and Katrina." +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder was heating water and getting out her scrubbing brushes, +so Kit and Kat knew that she was going to clean something. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you going to scrub to-day, Mother?" asked Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to scrub the stable," said Vrouw Vedder. "It is getting too +cold for the cows to stay all night in the pastures. Father means to +bring Mevrouw Holstein in to-night, and I want her stable to be nice +and clean for her." +</P> + +<P> +"We'll help you," said Kit and Kat very politely. +</P> + +<P> +"Good children!" their mother said. "You may carry the brushes." So +they opened a door beside the fireplace, and walked right into the +stable. +</P> + +<P> +The stable was really a part of the house. There were two stalls in the +stable. Vrouw Vedder took her pails of water and her brushes and began +to scrub. She scrubbed the walls, and the sides of the stalls, and the +floor. The Twins scrubbed, too, until they were tired; and the stable +was so clean, you would have liked to live there yourself. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's play out here," said Kat. "Let's play house." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Kit. "I'll be the father, and you be the mother." +</P> + +<P> +"But who will be Twins?" said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's get the ducklings," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"They can be Twins, of course," said Kat. "They are, anyway." +</P> + +<P> +So Kit ran out and brought in the ducklings. They were so tame they +always ran to Kit and Kat, when they saw them coming. They were almost +ducks now, they had grown so big. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's give the Twins their dinner," said Kat. So she got some grain, +and they both sat down on a little box and held the ducks in their laps +and fed them from their hands. The ducks ate greedily. +</P> + +<P> +"You have very bad manners," said Kat. "You will get your clothes all +dirty." She took two rags and tied them around the ducks' necks for +bibs. The ducks did not like bibs. They quacked. +</P> + +<P> +"Now don't say anything like that," said Kat. "You must do just as you +are told and not spill your food." +</P> + +<P> +Then Kit got some water and a spoon and gave the Twins a drink, but +they did not like the drink either. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we must put them to sleep," said Kat. They rocked the ducks in +their arms, but the ducks squawked dreadfully. +</P> + +<P> +"What bad children to cry so!" said Kit. "You can have both the Twins"; +and he gave his duck to Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"You fix a bed for them," said Kat. So Kit turned up the box they had +been sitting on, and put some hay in it; and they put the ducks in on +the hay. +</P> + +<P> +Pretty soon the ducks went to sleep. Kit and Kat ran away to play out +of doors and forgot all about them. +</P> + +<P> +They didn't think about them again until Father Vedder came home at +night with Mevrouw Holstein. When he put the cow into the stall, he +stumbled over the box. It was rather dark in the stable. +</P> + +<P> +"Quack, quack!" said the ducks. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat were helping Father put the cow into the stall and get some +hay for her. When the ducks quacked, Father Vedder said, +</P> + +<P> +"What in the world is this?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, our Twins! our Twins!" cried Kit and Kat. "Don't let Mevrouw +Holstein step on the Twins!" +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder pulled out the box. Kit and Kat each took a duck and +carried it out to the poultry house. +</P> + +<P> +"Twins are a great care," said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Now is the time to ask," whispered Kat to Kit, that night, when Father +Vedder had finished his supper and was lighting his pipe. "You must ask +very politely, just the very politest way you can." +</P> + +<P> +They went and stood before their father. They put their feet together. +Kit made a bow, and Kat bobbed a curtsy. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear parent," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"That's a good start," whispered Kat. "Go on." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, well, what now?" said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear parent, Kat and I are quite big now. I think we must be nearly +four feet and a half high. Don't you think we are big enough to have +skates this winter?" +</P> + +<P> +"So that's it!" said Father Vedder. Then he smoked his pipe again. +</P> + +<P> +"There was ice on the canal this morning," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"So you think you are big enough to skate, do you?" said Father Vedder, +at last. Mother Vedder was clearing away the supper. "What do you think +about it, Mother?" said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"They have been very good children," said the Vrouw. "There are the +skates you and I had when we were children. We might try them on and +see if they are big enough to wear them. They are in the bag hanging +back of the press." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat almost screamed with joy. +</P> + +<P> +"Our feet are quite large. I'm sure we can wear them," they said. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder got the bag down and took out two pairs of skates. They +had long curling ends on the runners. The Twins sat down on the floor. +Father Vedder tried on the skates. +</P> + +<P> +"They are still pretty large; but you will grow," he told the Twins. +"You may have them if you will be very careful and not let them get +rusty. By and by we will teach you to skate." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins practiced standing in the skates on the kitchen floor; and, +when bedtime came, they took the skates to bed with them. +</P> + +<P> +"O Kit," said Kat, "I never supposed we'd get them so soon. Did you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Kit, "you see, we're pretty big and very good. That makes +a difference." +</P> + +<P> +"It's very nice to be good when people notice it, isn't it?" said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Yah," said Kit. "I'm going to be good now right along, all the time; +for very soon St. Nicholas will come, and he leaves only a rod in the +shoes of bad children. And if you've been bad, you have to tell him +about it." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Oh!" said Kat. "I'm going to be good all the time too. I'm going +to be good until after the feast of St. Nicholas, anyway." +</P> + +<P> +Not many days after Kit and Kat got their skates, there came a cold, +cold wind. It blew over the fields and over the canals all day and all +night long; and in the morning, when the Twins looked out, the canal +was one shining roadway of ice. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder came in from the stable with a great pail full of milk. +</P> + +<P> +"Winter is here now, for good and all," he said, as he set the pail +down. "The canals are frozen over, and soon it will be the day for the +feast of St. Nicholas." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat ran to him and said, both together, +</P> + +<P> +"Dear Father Vedder, will you please teach us to skate before St. +Nicholas Day?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll see if the ice is strong enough to bear," said Father Vedder; and +he went right down to the canal to see, that very minute. When he came +in, he said, +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, the ice is strong; and we will go out as soon as you are ready, +and try your skates." +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder said, "I should like to go too"; and Father Vedder said to +Kit and Kat, +</P> + +<P> +"Your mother used to be the finest skater in the whole village when she +was a young girl. You must not let her beat you." +</P> + +<P> +They hurried through with their work, Kit and Kat helped. Then they all +put on their heavy shoes and wraps, took their skates over their +shoulders, and started for the canal. +</P> + +<P> +"If you learn to skate well enough, we will take you to town before the +feast of St. Nicholas," said Father Vedder. "But it comes very soon." +</P> + +<P> +He put on his own skates and Kit's, and the mother put on her own and +Kat's. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure we can do it almost right away," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we'll show you how to skate," said Father Vedder. He stood the +Twins up on the ice. They held each other's hands. They were afraid to +move. Father Vedder took Mother Vedder's hand. +</P> + +<P> +"See," he said, "like this!" And away they went like two swallows, +skimming over the ice. In a minute they were ever so far away. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat felt lonesome, and very queer, when they saw their father +and mother flying along in that way. They weren't used to see them do +anything but work, and move about slowly. +</P> + +<P> +"It looks easy," said Kit. "Let's try it. We must not be afraid." +</P> + +<P> +He started with his right leg, pushing it out a little in front of him. +But it was very strange how his legs acted. They didn't seem to belong +to him at all! His left leg tried to follow his right, just as it ought +to; but, instead, it slid out sidewise and knocked against Kat's +skates. Then both Kat's feet flew up; and she sat down very hard, on +the ice. And Kit came down on top of her. +</P> + +<P> +They tried to get up; but, each time they tried, their feet slid away +from them. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh dear," said Kat, "we are all mixed up! Are those your feet or mine? +I can't tell which is which!" +</P> + +<P> +"They don't any of them mind," said Kit. "I can't stand up on any of +them. I've tried them all! We'll just have to wait until Father and +Mother come back and pick us out." +</P> + +<P> +"Ice is quite cold to sit on, isn't it?" said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Soon Father and Mother Vedder came skimming back again. When they saw +Kit and Kat, they laughed and skated to them, picked them up, and set +them on their feet. +</P> + +<P> +"Now I'll take Kit, and you take Kat," said Vrouw Vedder to her +husband, "and they'll be skating in no time." So Kat's father took her +hands, and Kit took hold of his mother's, and they started off. +</P> + +<P> +At first the Twins' feet didn't behave well at all. They seemed to want +to do everything they could to bother them. They would sprawl way +apart; then they would toe in and run into each other. +</P> + +<P> +Many times Kit and Kat would have fallen if Father and Mother Vedder +had not held them up; but before the lesson was over, both Kit and Kat +could skate a little bit alone. +</P> + +<P> +"See, this is the way," said Vrouw Vedder; and she skated around in a +circle. Then she cut a figure like this 8 in the ice. Then Father +Vedder did a figure like this S all on one foot. +</P> + +<P> +"My!" said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"I think our parents must skate the best of all the people in the +world," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to some day," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"So'm I," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +After a while Vrouw Vedder said, +</P> + +<P> +"It's time to go home. Not too much the first time." So they all went +back home with their cheeks as red as roses, and their noses too, and +such an appetite for dinner! +</P> + +<P> +But the Twins were a little lame next day. +</P> + +<P> +Every day after that, Kit and Kat went out with their skates to the +ditches and tried and tried to skate as Father and Mother did—they did +so want to skate to town and see the sights before the feast of St. +Nicholas! They worked so hard that in a week they could skate very +well; and then they planned a surprise for their mother. +</P> + +<P> +"If you will watch at the window, you'll see a great sight on the canal +very soon," said Kit to his mother one day. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Vrouw Vedder hadn't the least idea what it would be! +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat slipped out through the stable and ran down to the ditch. +They put on their skates and skated from the ditch out to the big canal. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder was watching at the window. Soon she saw Kit and Kat go +flying by, hand in hand, on the canal! They waved their hands to her. +Vrouw Vedder was so pleased that she went to call Father Vedder, who +was in the hay-loft over the stable. +</P> + +<P> +"Come and see Kit and Kat," she cried. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder came down from the loft and looked too. Then Kit cut a +figure like this, S, and Kat cut one like this, 6. The round spot is +where she sat down hard, just as she was almost around. +</P> + +<P> +When they came into the kitchen Father said, +</P> + +<P> +"I think we could take such a fine pair of skaters as that to the Vink +with us on our way to town! The ice is very hard and thick for so early +in the season, and we will go to-morrow." +</P> + +<P> +"We can see the shops too. St. Nicholas is coming, and the shops are +full of fine things," said Vrouw Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat could hardly wait for to-morrow to come. They polished +their skates and made everything ready. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you suppose the Vink is?" said Kat to Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I think it is something like a church," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"You don't know what a Vink is, so there," said Kat. "I think it's +something to eat." +</P> + +<P> +Then Kit changed the subject. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll race you to-morrow," he said. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll beat," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll see," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +The next day they started, all four, quite early in the morning: Vrouw +Vedder took her basket on her arm. +</P> + +<P> +"I shall want to buy some things," she said. +</P> + +<P> +Father Vedder lighted his pipe—"To keep my nose warm," he said. +</P> + +<P> +Then they all went down to the canal and put on their skates. +</P> + +<P> +"Kat and I are going to race to the first windmill," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll tell you when to start," said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"And I'll get a cake for the one who wins," said the mother. +</P> + +<P> +"One, two, three!" Away they flew like the wind! Father and Mother +Vedder came close behind. +</P> + +<P> +Kit was so sure he would beat that he thought he would show off a +little. He went zigzag across the canal; once or twice he stopped to +skate in curves. +</P> + +<P> +Kat didn't stop for anything. She kept her eyes on the windmill, and +she skated as hard as she could. +</P> + +<P> +They were getting quite near the mill now. Kit stopped playing and +began to skate as fast as he could. But Kat had got the start of him. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll soon get ahead of her," he thought. "She's a girl, and I'm a +boy." He struck out with great long sweeps, as long as such short legs +could make, but Kat kept ahead; and in another minute there she was at +the windmill, quite out of breath, and pointing her finger at Kit! +</P> + +<P> +"I beat, I beat," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I could have beaten if I wanted to," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll get the cake," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't care," said Kit. But Kat knew that he did. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll give you a piece," she said. +</P> + +<P> +Father and Mother Vedder came along then; and when Kit and Kat were +rested, they all skated for a long time without saying anything. Then +Father Vedder said proudly to his wife, +</P> + +<P> +"They keep up as well as anybody! Were there ever such Twins!" And +Mother Vedder said, +</P> + +<P> +"Never!" +</P> + +<P> +By and by other people appeared on the canal—men and women and +children, all skating. They were going to the town to see the sights +too. +</P> + +<P> +One woman skated by with her baby in her arms. One man was smoking a +long pipe, and his wife was carrying a basket of eggs. But the man and +woman were good skaters. They flew along, laughing; and no one could +get near enough to upset them. +</P> + +<P> +As they came nearer to the town, Kit and Kat saw a tent near the place +where one canal opened into another. A man stood near the tent. He put +his hands together and shouted through them to the skaters, +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Come in, come in, and get a drink<BR> + Of warm sweet milk on your way to the Vink:"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"We must be getting quite near the Vink," Kat said. "I do wonder what +it looks like. Do you think it's alive?" +</P> + +<P> +They passed another tent. There a man was shouting, +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "Come buy a sweet cake; it costs but a cent,<BR> + Come buy, come buy, from the man in the tent."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder said, +</P> + +<P> +"I promised a cake to the one who beat in the race. We'll go in here +and get it." +</P> + +<P> +So they went to the tent. +</P> + +<P> +They bought two cakes, and each ate half of one. Kat broke the cakes +and gave them to the others, because she won the race. +</P> + +<P> +When they had eaten the cakes, they skated on. The canals grew more and +more crowded. There were a good many tents; flags were flying, and the +whole place was very gay. +</P> + +<P> +At last they saw a big building, with crowds of merry skaters about it. +Many people were going in and out. +</P> + +<P> +"There's the Vink," said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +"Where?" said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +He pointed to the building. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" said Kit. He never said another word about what they had thought +it was like. +</P> + +<P> +Soon they were inside the Vink. It was a large restaurant. There were +many little tables about, crowded with people, eating and drinking. +Father Vedder found a table, and they all sat down. +</P> + +<P> +"Bring us some pea soup," he said to the waiter. Soon they were eating +the hot soup. +</P> + +<P> +"This is the best thing I ever had," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +When they had eaten their soup; they went out of the building and +walked through the streets of the town. All the shops were filled with +pretty things. The bake shops had wonderful cakes with little candies +on top, and there were great cakes made like St. Nicholas himself in +his long robes. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat flattened their noses against all the shop windows, and +looked at the toys and cakes. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish St. Nicholas would bring me that," said kit, pointing to a very +large St. Nicholas cake. +</P> + +<P> +"And I want some of those," Kat said, pointing to some cakes made in +the shapes of birds and fish. +</P> + +<P> +Vrouw Vedder had gone with her basket on an errand. Father Vedder and +Kit and Kat walked slowly along, waiting for her. Soon there was a +great noise up the street. There were shouts, and the clatter of wooden +shoes. +</P> + +<P> +"Look! Look!" cried Kit. +</P> + +<P> +There, in the midst of the crowd, was a great white horse; and riding +on it was the good St. Nicholas himself! He had a long white beard and +red cheeks, and long robes, with a mitre on his head; and he smiled at +the children, who crowded around him and followed him in a noisy +procession down the street. +</P> + +<P> +Behind St. Nicholas came a cart, filled with packages of all sizes. The +children were all shouting at once, "Give me a cake, good St. +Nicholas!" or, "Give me a new pair of shoes!" or whatever each one +wanted most. +</P> + +<P> +"Where is he going?" asked Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"He's carrying presents to houses where there are good girls and boys," +Father Vedder said. "For bad children, there is only a rod in the shoe." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm glad we're so good," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"When will he come to our house?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Not until to-morrow," said Father Vedder. "But you must fill your +wooden shoes with beans or hay for his good horse, to-night; and then +perhaps he will come down the chimney and leave something in them. It's +worth trying." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat were in a hurry to get home, for fear the Saint would get +there first. +</P> + +<P> +It was growing late, so they all went to a waffle shop for their supper. +</P> + +<P> +In the shop a woman sat before an open fire. On the fire was a big +waffle iron. She made the waffles, put sugar and butter on them, and +passed a plate of them to each one. Oh, how good they were! +</P> + +<P> +When they had eaten their waffles, Father and Mother Vedder and the +Twins went back to the canal and put on their skates. It was late in +the afternoon. They took hold of hands and began to skate toward home, +four in a row. Father and Mother Vedder were on the outside, and the +Twins in the middle. +</P> + +<P> +It was dark when they reached home. Vrouw Vedder lighted the fire, +while Father Vedder went to feed the cow and see that the chickens and +ducks and geese were all safe for the night. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat ran for their wooden shoes. They each took one and put some +hay in it. This was for St. Nicholas to give to his horse. Father +Vedder put the shoes on the mantel. Then they hurried to bed to make +morning come quicker. +</P> + +<P> +Father and Mother Vedder sat up late that night. Mother Vedder said it +was to prepare the goose for dinner the next day. +</P> + +<P> +When the Twins woke the next morning, the fire was already roaring up +the chimney, and the kitchen was warm as toast. They hopped out of bed +and ran for their wooden shoes. Mother Vedder reached up to the mantel +shelf for them. Truly, the hay was gone and there in each shoe was a +package done up in paper! +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, he did come! He did come!" cried Kat. "O Mother, you're sure you +didn't build the fire before he had got out of the chimney?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm sure," said Vrouw Vedder. "I've made the fire on many a St. +Nicholas morning, and I've never burned him yet!" +</P> + +<P> +The Twins climbed up the steps to their cupboard bed and sat on the +edge of it to open their packages. In Kit's was a big St. Nicholas +cake, like the one in the shop window! And in Kat's were three cakes +like birds, and two like fish! +</P> + +<P> +"Just what we wanted!" said Kit and Kat. "Do you suppose he heard us +say so?" +</P> + +<P> +"St. Nicholas can hear what people think," said Vrouw Vedder. "He is +coming to see you to-night at six o'clock, and you must be ready to +sing him a little song and answer any questions he asks you." +</P> + +<P> +"How glad I am that we are so good!" said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll see what the Saint thinks about that," said the mother. "Now get +dressed; for Grandfather and Grandmother will be here for dinner, and +we're going to have roast goose, and there's a great deal to do." +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat set their beautiful cakes up where they could see them +while they dressed. +</P> + +<P> +"I do wish every day were St. Nicholas Day," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"Or the day before," said Kat. "That was such a nice day!" +</P> + +<P> +"All the days are nice days, I think," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't think the dog-cart day was so very nice," said Kat. "We tore +our best clothes, and they'll never, never be so nice again. That was +because you didn't mind!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Kit, "I minded as much as I could. How can I mind two +things at one time? You know how well I can think! You know how I +thought about Vrouw Van der Kloot's cakes. But I can't think how I can +mind twice at one time." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't suppose you can," said Kat. "But anyway, I'm sorry about my +dress." +</P> + +<P> +Just then Vrouw Vedder called them to come and eat their breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +Father and Mother Vedder sat down at the little round table and bowed +their heads. Kit and Kat stood up. Father Vedder said grace; and then +they ate their salt herring and drank their coffee; and Kit and Kat had +coffee too, because it was St. Nicholas morning. +</P> + +<P> +It was snowing when, after breakfast, Kit went out with his father to +feed the chickens and the pigs, and to see that the cow had something +very good that she liked to eat. When they had done that, they called +Kat; and she helped throw out some grain on the white snow, so the +birds could have a feast, too. +</P> + +<P> +It snowed all day. Kit and Kat both helped their mother get the dinner. +They got the cabbage and the onions and the potatoes ready; and when +the goose was hung upon the fire to roast, they watched it and kept it +spinning around on the spit, so it would brown evenly. +</P> + +<P> +By and by the kitchen was all in order, and you can't think how clean +and homelike it looked! The brasses all around the room had little +flames dancing in them, because they were so bright and shiny. +Everything was ready for the St. Nicholas feast. The goose was nearly +roasted, and there was such a good smell of it in the air! +</P> + +<P> +After a while there was a great stamping of feet at the door; and Vrouw +Vedder ran with the broom to brush the snow off Grandfather and +Grandmother, who had skated all the way from town, on the canal. When +they were warmed and dried, and all their wraps put away, Grandfather +and Grandmother Winkle looked around the pleasant kitchen; and +Grandmother said to Grandfather, +</P> + +<P> +"Our Neltje is certainly a good house-wife." Neltje was Vrouw Vedder. +And Grandfather said, +</P> + +<P> +"There's only one better one, my dear." He meant Grandmother Winkle. +</P> + +<P> +By and by they all sat down to dinner, and I can't begin to tell you +how good it was! It makes one hungry just to think of it. They had +roast goose and onions and turnips and cabbage. They had bread and +butter, and cheese, and sweet cakes. +</P> + +<P> +"Everything except the flour in the bread, we raised ourselves," said +Vrouw Vedder. "The hens gave us the eggs; and the cow, the butter. The +Twins helped Father and me to take care of the chickens, and to milk +the cow, and to make the butter; so it is our very own St. Nicholas +feast that we are eating." +</P> + +<P> +"A farmer's life is the best life there is," said Father Vedder. +</P> + +<P> +They sat a long time at the table; and Grandfather told stories about +when he was a boy; and Father Vedder told how Kit and Kat learned to +skate; and Kit and Kat told how they saw St. Nicholas riding on a white +horse, and how he sent them the very things they wanted; and they all +enjoyed themselves very much. +</P> + +<P> +After dinner, Grandmother Winkle sat down in the chimney corner and +called Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Come here," she said, "and I'll tell you some stories about St. +Nicholas." +</P> + +<P> +The Twins brought two little stools and sat beside her, one on each +side. She took out her knitting; and as the needles clicked in her +fingers, she told this story: +</P> + +<P> +"Once upon a time, many years ago, three little brothers went out one +day to the woods to gather fagots. They were just about as big as you +are, Kit and Kat." +</P> + +<P> +"Were they all three, twins?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"The story doesn't tell about that," said Grandmother Winkle; "but +maybe they were. At any rate, they all got lost in the woods and +wandered ever so far, trying to find their way home. But instead of +finding their way home, they just got more and more lost all the time. +They were very tired and hungry; but, as they were brave boys, not one +of them cried." +</P> + +<P> +"It's lucky that none of those twins were girls," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"I've even heard of boy twins that cried, when dog carts ran away, or +something of that kind happened," said Grandmother Winkle. "But you +shouldn't interrupt; it's not polite." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" said Kit very meekly. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, as I was saying, they were very lost indeed. Night was coming +on; and they were just thinking that they must lie down on the ground +to sleep, when one of them saw a light shining through the leaves. He +pointed it out to the others; and they walked along toward it, +stumbling over roots and stones as they went, for it was now quite dark. +</P> + +<P> +"As they came nearer, they saw that the light came from the window of a +poor little hut on the edge of a clearing. +</P> + +<P> +"They went to the door and knocked. The door was opened by a dirty old +woman, who lived in the hut with her husband, who was a farmer. +</P> + +<P> +"The boys told the old woman that they had lost their way, and asked +her if she could give them a place to sleep. She spoke to her husband, +who sat crouched over a little fire in the corner; and he told her to +give them a bed in the loft. +</P> + +<P> +"The three boys climbed the little ladder into the loft and lay down on +the hay. They were so tired that they fell asleep at once. The old man +and his wife whispered about them over their bit of fire. +</P> + +<P> +"'They are fine-looking boys; and well dressed,' said the old woman. +</P> + +<P> +"'Yes,' said the old man, 'and I have no doubt they have plenty of +money about them.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Do you really think so?' said the wife. +</P> + +<P> +"'I think I'll find out,' said the wicked farmer. So he climbed up to +the loft and killed the three boys. Then he looked in their pockets for +money; but there was no money there. +</P> + +<P> +"He was very angry. And he was very much afraid, wicked people are +always afraid." +</P> + +<P> +"Are all afraid people wicked?" asked Kat. She wished very much that +she were brave. +</P> + +<P> +"M-m-m, well, not always," said Grandmother Winkle. +</P> + +<P> +"The wicked farmer was so afraid that he wanted to put the bodies of +the three boys where no one would find them. So he carried them down +cellar and put them into the pickle tub with his pork." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" screamed Kat, and she put her hands over her ears. Even +Kit's eyes were very round and big. But Grandmother said, +</P> + +<P> +"Now, don't you be scared until I get to the end of the story. Didn't I +tell you it was all about St. Nicholas? You wait and see what happened! +</P> + +<P> +"That very same day the wicked farmer went to market with some +vegetables to sell. As he was sitting in the market, St. Nicholas +appeared, before him. He had on his mitre and his long robes, just as +you see him in Kit's cake. +</P> + +<P> +"Have you any pork to sell?" St. Nicholas asked the man. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said the farmer. +</P> + +<P> +"What of the three young pigs in your brine tub in the cellar?" said +St. Nicholas. +</P> + +<P> +The farmer saw that his wicked deed was found out, as all wicked deeds +are, sooner or later. He fell on his knees and begged the good Saint to +forgive him. +</P> + +<P> +St. Nicholas said, "Show me the way to your house." +</P> + +<P> +The farmer left his vegetables unsold in the market and went home at +once, the Saint following all the way. +</P> + +<P> +When they reached the hut, St. Nicholas went to the pickled-pork tub in +the cellar. He waved his staff over the tub, and out jumped the three +boys, hearty and well! Then the good Saint took them through the woods +and left them in sight of their own home. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, what a good St. Nicholas!" said Kit and Kat. "Tell us another." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Grandmother Winkle, "once upon another time there was a +very mean man, who had a great deal of money, that often happens. He +had, also, three beautiful daughters, that sometimes happens too." +</P> + +<P> +"One day he lost all his money. Now, he cared more for money than for +anything else in the world more, even, than for his three beautiful +daughters. So he made up his mind to sell them!" +</P> + +<P> +"St. Nicholas knew of this wicked plan; so that very night he went to +the man's house and dropped some money through a broken window." +</P> + +<P> +"Why did he do that?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Because the man was selling his daughters to get money. If he had money +enough, he wouldn't sell them. +</P> + +<P> +The first night St. Nicholas dropped enough money to pay for the eldest +daughter. The next night he took a purse of gold for the second +daughter, and dropped it down the chimney. It fell down right in front +of the man, as he was getting a coal to light his pipe. The third night +the man watched; and when St. Nicholas came, the door flew open, and +the man ran out. He caught St. Nicholas by his long robe and held him. +</P> + +<P> +"O St. Nicholas, Servant of the Lord," he said, "why dost thou hide thy +good deeds?" +</P> + +<P> +And from that time on, every one has known it is St. Nicholas who +brings gifts in the night and drops them down the chimney. +</P> + +<P> +"Did the man sell his daughter?" asked Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"No," said Grandmother. "He was so ashamed of himself that he wasn't +wicked any more." +</P> + +<P> +"Does St. Nicholas give everybody presents so they will be good?" asked +Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Grandmother; "that's why bad children get only a rod in +their shoes." +</P> + +<P> +"He gave the bad man nice presents to make him good," said Kit. "Why +doesn't he give bad children nice things to make them good too?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother Winkle knitted for a minute without speaking. Then she said, +</P> + +<P> +"I guess he thinks that the rod is the present that will make them good +in the shortest time." +</P> + +<P> +The clock had been ticking steadily along while Grandmother had been +telling stories, and it was now late in the afternoon. The sky was all +red in the west; there were long, long shadows across the snowy fields, +and the corners of the kitchen were quite dark. +</P> + +<P> +"It's almost time to expect him, now," said Vrouw Vedder; and she +brought out a sheet and spread it in the middle of the kitchen floor. +She stirred up the fire, and the room was filled with the pleasant glow +from the flames. +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat sat on their little stools. Their eyes were very big. At +five minutes of six, Vrouw Vedder said, +</P> + +<P> +"He will be here in just a few minutes, now. Get up, Kit and Kat, and +sing your song!" +</P> + +<P> +The Twins stood up on the edge of the sheet and began to sing: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + "St. Nicholas, good, holy man,<BR> + Put on your best gown;<BR> + Ride with it to Amsterdam,<BR> + From Amsterdam to Spain."<BR> +</P> + +<P> +While they were singing, there was a sound at the door, of some one +feeling for the latch. Then the door flew open, and a great shower of +sweet cakes and candies fell onto the sheet, all around Kit and Kat! +There in the doorway stood St. Nicholas himself, smiling and shaking +off the snow! His horse was stamping outside. Kit and Kat could hear it. +</P> + +<P> +They stopped singing and hardly breathed, they stood so still. They +looked at St. Nicholas with big, big eyes. In one hand St. Nicholas +carried two large packages; in the other, a birch rod. +</P> + +<P> +"Are there any good children here?" said St. Nicholas. +</P> + +<P> +"Pretty good, if you please, dear St. Nicholas," said Kit in a very +small voice. +</P> + +<P> +"Children who always mind their mothers and fathers and grandfathers +and grandmothers?" said St. Nicholas, "and who do not quarrel?" +</P> + +<P> +Kat couldn't say anything at all, though the Saint looked right at her! +Vrouw Vedder spoke. +</P> + +<P> +"I think, dear St. Nicholas, they are very good children," she said. +</P> + +<P> +"Then I will leave these for them and carry the rod along to some bad +little boy and girl, if I find one," said St. Nicholas. "There seem to +be very few about here. I haven't left a single rod yet." And he handed +one big package to Kit, and another to Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," said Kit and Kat. +</P> + +<P> +St. Nicholas smiled at them and waved his hand. Then the door shut, and +he was gone! +</P> + +<P> +Kit and Kat dropped on their knees to pick up the cakes and candies. +They passed the cakes and candies around to each one. Vrouw Vedder +lighted the candles, and then they all gathered around to see Kit and +Kat open their bundles. +</P> + +<P> +"You open yours first," said Vrouw Vedder to Kat. +</P> + +<P> +Kat was so excited that she could hardly untie the string. When she got +the bundle open, there was a beautiful new Sunday dress much prettier +than the torn one had ever been! Oh, how pleased Kat was! She hugged +her mother and her grandmother and her father and her grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"I just wish I could hug dear St. Nicholas, too," she said. +</P> + +<P> +Then Kit opened his bundle; and there was a beautiful new velveteen +suit, with his very own silver buttons on it! It had pockets in it! He +put his hand in one pocket. It had a penny in it! Then he put his hand +in the other pocket. There was another penny! +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to see if there's a pocket in mine," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +She hunted and hunted and hunted. By and by she found a pocket. And +sure enough, there was a penny in that too! +</P> + +<P> +Then some presents came from somewhere for Father and Mother Vedder and +for Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle; and such a time as they all +had, opening the bundles and showing their presents! +</P> + +<P> +Then Mother Vedder tried on Kit's suit and Kat's dress, to see if they +were the right size. They were just right exactly. +</P> + +<P> +"St. Nicholas even knows how big we are," said Kat. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I wish St. Nicholas Day would last a week," said Kit. +</P> + +<P> +"That reminds me," said Vrouw Vedder, and she looked at the clock. +"Half-past ten, and these children still up! Bless my heart, this will +never do! Come here, Kit and Kat, and let me undo your buttons!" +</P> + +<P> +"May we take our new clothes to bed with us?" Kat asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, just this once," said Mother Vedder, "because this is St. +Nicholas night." +</P> + +<P> +They kissed their Grandfather and Grandmother good-night, and their +Mother and Father, and said their prayers like good children; and then +they climbed up into their little cupboard bed, and Vrouw Vedder drew +the curtains, so they would go to sleep sooner. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-night, dear little Twins," she said. +</P> + +<P> +And so say we. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="suggest"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS +</H3> + +<BR> + +<P> +This book is the first of a series of stories for supplementary reading +the purpose of which is to give children a correct idea of life in +different countries, both in the spirit and atmosphere of the story, +and in the actual descriptions. These books will also further a spirit +of friendliness and good will for children of other nationalities. +Respect for and an understanding of the life and customs of other +races, are not only educationally valuable, but are fundamentally +important in this "crucible of nations," where different races are +fusing themselves together as never before in the history of the world. +Tradition is a precious heritage, and the traditions of other nations +should be the natural inheritance of the American child, since here as +nowhere else all the nations of the earth are entering into our +national life. +</P> + +<P> +The author has recognized from the start that the purpose of a book of +this kind would fail of realization if the narrative does not appeal +strongly to children. The delight with which the book has been received +by children is evidence that the important element of interest has not +been left out of the narrative. +</P> + +<P> +To make the reading of this story most valuable as a school exercise, +it is suggested that children be allowed at the outset to turn the +pages of the book in order to get glimpses of "Kit" and "Kat," in the +various scenes in which they are portrayed, in the illustrations, thus +arousing their interest. With a globe, or a map of the world, point out +Holland, and tell the children something about the unique character of +the country. +</P> + +<P> +The text is so simply written that any third or fourth grade child can +read it without much preparation. In the third grade it may be well to +have the children read it first in the study period in order to work +out the pronunciation of the more difficult words. In the fourth grade +the children can usually read it at sight, without the preparatory +study. +</P> + +<P> +In connection with the reading of the book, have children read +selections from their readers and other books about Holland and its +people. The legend of "The Hole in the Dike" is an illustration of this +kind of collateral reading. Let children also bring to class postcards +and other pictures illustrating scenes in Holland. +</P> + +<P> +The unique illustrations in the book should be much used, both in the +reading of the story and in other ways. Children will enjoy sketching +some of the pictures; their simple treatment makes them especially +useful for this purpose. An excellent oral language exercise would be +for the children, after they have read the story, to take turns telling +the story from the pictures; and a good composition exercise would be +for each child to select the picture that he would like to write upon, +make a sketch of it, and write the story in his own words. +</P> + +<P> +These are only a few of the number of ways that will occur to +resourceful teachers of making the book a valuable as well as an +interesting exercise in reading. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH TWINS *** + +***** This file should be named 4012-h.htm or 4012-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/4012/ + +Produced by Lynn Hill. Dedicated to Luana Rodriquez. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Dutch Twins + +Author: Lucy Fitch Perkins + +Posting Date: March 10, 2009 [EBook #4012] +Release Date: May, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH TWINS *** + + + + +Produced by Lynn Hill. Dedicated to Luana Rodriquez. HTML +version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + + +This book belongs to Lawrence and other children + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + + +By + +Lucy Fitch Perkins + + + +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR + + + + +Geographical Series + + THE DUTCH TWINS PRIMER. Grade I. + THE DUTCH TWINS. Grade III. + THE ESKIMO TWINS. Grade II. + THE JAPANESE TWINS. Grade IV. + THE SWISS TWINS. Grade IV. + THE IRISH TWINS. Grade V. + THE ITALIAN TWINS. Grades V and VI. + THE SCOTCH TWINS. Grades V and VI. + THE MEXICAN TWINS. Grade VI. + THE BELGIAN TWINS. Grade VI. + THE FRENCH TWINS. Grade VII. + +Historical Series + + THE CAVE TWINS. Grade IV. + THE SPARTAN TWINS. Grades V-VI. + THE PURITAN TWINS. Grades VI-VII. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION--KIT AND KAT + + I. THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING + II. MARKET DAY WITH FATHER + III. MOTHER'S DAY + IV. ONE SUNDAY + V. THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART + VI. THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + +KIT AND KAT + + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat. They are Twins, and they live in +Holland. Kit is the boy, and Kat is the girl. + +Of course their real names are not Kit and Kat at all. Their real names +are Christopher and Katrina. But you can see for yourself that such +long names as that would never in the world fit such a short pair of +Twins. So the Twins' Mother, Vrouw Vedder, said, + +"They cannot be called Christopher and Katrina until they are four and +a half feet high." + +Now it takes a long time to grow four and a half feet of Boy and Girl. +You know, chickens and puppies and colts and kittens always grow up +much faster than twins. Kit and Kat ate a great many breakfasts and +dinners and suppers, and played a great many plays, and had a great +many happy days while they were growing up to their names. I will tell +you about some of them. + + + + +I. + +THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING + + +One summer morning, very early, Vrouw Vedder opened the door of her +little Dutch kitchen and stepped out. + +She looked across the road which ran by the house, across the canal on +the other side, across the level green fields that lay beyond, clear to +the blue rim of the world, where the sky touches the earth. The sky was +very blue; and the great, round, shining face of the sun was just +peering over the tops of the trees, as she looked out. + +Vrouw Vedder listened. The roosters in the barnyard were crowing, the +ducks in the canal were quacking, and all the little birds in the +fields were singing for joy. Vrouw Vedder hummed a slow little tune of +her own, as she went back into her kitchen. + +Kit and Kat were still asleep in their little cupboard bed. She gave +them each a kiss. The Twins opened their eyes and sat up. + +"O Kit and Kat," said Vrouw Vedder, "the sun is up, the birds are all +awake and singing, and Grandfather is going fishing to-day. If you will +hurry, you may go with him! He is coming at six o'clock; so pop out of +bed and get dressed. I will put some lunch for you in the yellow +basket, and you may dig worms for bait in the garden. Only be sure not +to step on the young cabbages that Father planted." + +Kit and Kat bounced out of bed in a minute. Their mother helped them +put on their clothes and new wooden shoes. Then she gave them each a +bowl of bread and milk for their breakfast. They ate it sitting on the +kitchen doorstep. + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat digging worms. You see they did just +as their mother said, and did not step on the young cabbages. They sat +on them, instead. But that was an accident. + +Kit dug the worms, and Kat put them into a basket, with some earth in +it to make them feel at home. + +When Grandfather came, he brought a large fishing-rod for himself and +two little ones for the Twins. There was a little hook on the end of +each line. + +Vrouw Vedder kissed Kit and Kat good-bye. + +"Mind Grandfather, and don't fall into the water," she said. + +Grandfather and the Twins started off together down the long road +beside the canal. + +The house where the Twins lived was right beside the canal. Their +father was a gardener, and his beautiful rows of cabbages and beets and +onions stretched in long lines across the level fields by the roadside. + +Grandfather lived in a large town, a little way beyond the farm where +the Twins lived. He did not often have a holiday, because he carried +milk to the doors of the people in the town, every morning early. +Sometime I will tell you how he did it; but I must not tell you now, +because if I do, I can't tell you about their going fishing. + +This morning, Grandfather carried his rod and the lunch-basket. Kit and +Kat carried the basket of worms between them, and their rods over their +shoulders, and they were all three very happy. + +They walked along ever so far, beside the canal. Then they turned to +the left and walked along a path that ran from the canal across the +green fields to what looked like a hill. + +But it wasn't a hill at all, really, because there aren't any hills in +Holland. It was a long, long wall of earth, very high--oh, as high as a +house, or even higher! And it had sloping sides. + +There is such a wall of earth all around the country of Holland, where +the Twins live. There has to be a wall, because the sea is higher than +the land. If there were no walls to shut out the sea, the whole country +would be covered with water; and if that were so, then there wouldn't +be any Holland, or any Holland Twins, or any story. So you see it was +very lucky for the Twins that the wall was there. They called it a dyke. + +Grandfather and Kit and Kat climbed the dyke. When they reached the +top, they sat down a few minutes to rest and look at the great blue +sea. Grandfather sat in the middle, with Kit on one side, and Kat on +the other; and the basket of worms and the basket of lunch were there, +too. + +They saw a great ship sail slowly by, making a cloud of smoke. + +"Where do the ships go, Grandfather?" asked Kit. + +"To America, and England, and China, and all over the world," said +Grandfather. + +"Why?" asked Kat. Kat almost always said "Why?" and when she didn't, +Kit did. + +"To take flax and linen from the mills of Holland to make dresses for +little girls in other countries," said Grandfather. + +"Is that all?" asked Kit. + +"They take cheese and herring, bulbs and butter, and lots of other +things besides, and bring back to us wheat and meat and all sorts of +good things from the lands across the sea." + +"I think I'll be a sea captain when I'm big," said Kit. + +"So will I," said Kat. + +"Girls can't," said Kit. + +But Grandfather shook his head and said: + +"You can't tell what a girl may be by the time she's four feet and a +half high and is called Katrina. There's no telling what girls will do +anyway. But, children, if we stay here we shall not catch any fish." + +So they went down the other side of the dyke and cut onto a little pier +that ran from the sandy beach into the water. + +Grandfather showed them how to bait their hooks. Kit baited Kat's for +her, because Kat said it made her all wriggly inside to do it. She did +not like it. Neither did the worm! + +They all sat down on the end of the pier, Grandfather sat on the very +end and let his wooden shoes hang down over the water; but he made Kit +and Kat sit with their feet stuck straight out in front of them, so +they just reached to the edge, "So you can't fall in," said Grandfather. + +They dropped their hooks into the water and sat very still, waiting for +a bite. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, and it grew +hotter and hotter on the pier. The flies tickled Kat's nose and made +her sneeze. + +"Keep still, can't you?" said Kit crossly. "You'll scare the fish. +Girls don't know how to fish, anyway." + +Pretty soon Kat felt a queer little jerk on her line. She was perfectly +sure she did. + +Kat squealed and jerked her rod. She jerked it so hard that one foot +flew right up in the air, and one of her new wooden shoes +went--splash--right into the water! + +But that wasn't the worst of it! Before you could say Jack Robinson, +Kat's hook flew around and caught in Kit's clothes and pricked him. + +Kit jumped and said "Ow!" And then--no one could ever tell how it +happened--there was Kit in the water, too, splashing like a young +whale, with Kat's hook still holding fast to his clothes in the back! + +Grandfather jumped then, too, you may be sure. He caught hold of Kat's +rod and pulled hard and called out, "Steady there, steady!" + +And in one minute there was Kit in the shallow water beside the pier, +puffing and blowing like a grampus! + +Grandfather reached down and pulled him up. + +When Kit was safely on the pier, Kat threw her arms around his neck, +though the water was running down in streams from his hair and eyes and +ears. + +"O Kit," she said, "I truly thought it was a fish on my line when I +jumped!" + +"Just like a g-g-girl," said Kit. "They don't know how to f-f-fish." +You see his teeth were chattering, because the water was cold. + +"Well, anyway," said Kat, "I caught more than you did. I caught you!" + +Then Kat thought of something else. She shook her finger at Kit. + +"O Kit," she said, "Mother told you not to fall into the water!" + +"'T-t-twas all your fault," roared Kit. "Y-y-you began it! Anyway, +where is your new wooden shoe?" + +"Where are both of yours?" screamed Kat. + +Sure enough, where were they? No one had thought about shoes, because +they were thinking so hard about Kit. + +They ran to the end of the pier and looked. There was Kat's shoe +sailing away toward America like a little boat! Kit's were still +bobbing about in the water near the pier. + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" shrieked Kat; but the tide was going out and carrying her +shoe farther away every minute. They could not get it; but Grandfather +reached down with his rod and fished out both of Kit's shoes. Then Kat +took off her other one and her stockings, and they all three went back +to the beach. + +Grandfather and Kat covered Kit up with sand to keep him warm while his +clothes were drying. Then Grandfather stuck the Twins' fish-poles up in +the sand and tied the lines together for a clothes-line, and hung Kit's +clothes up on it, and Kat put their three wooden shoes in a row beside +Kit. + +Then they ate their luncheon of bread and butter, cheese, and milk, +with some radishes from Father's garden. It tasted very good, even if +it was sandy. After lunch Grandfather said, "It will never do to go +home without any fish at all." + +So by and by he went back to the pier and caught one while the Twins +played in the sand. He put it in the lunch-basket to carry home. + +Kat brought shells and pebbles to Kit, because he had to stay covered +up in the sand, and Kit built a play dyke all around himself with them, +and Kat dug a canal outside the dyke. Then she made sand-pies in +clam-shells and set them in a row in the sun to bake. + +They played until the shadow of the dyke grew very long across the +sandy beach, and then Grandfather said it was time to go home. + +He helped Kit dress, but Kit's clothes were still a little wet in the +thick parts. And Kat had to go barefooted and carry her one wooden shoe. + +They climbed the dyke and crossed the fields, and walked along the road +by the canal. The road shone, like a strip of yellow ribbon across the +green field. They walked quite slowly, for they were tired and sleepy. + +By and by Kit said, "I see our house"; and Kat said, "I see Mother at +the gate." + +Grandfather gave the fish he caught to Kit and Kat, and Vrouw Vedder +cooked it for their supper; and though it was not a very big fish, they +all had some. + +Grandfather must have told Vrouw Vedder something about what had +happened; for that night, when she put Kit to bed, she felt of his +clothes carefully--but she didn't say a word about their being damp. +And she said to Kat: "To-morrow we will see the shoemaker and have him +make you another shoe." + +Then Kit and Kat hugged her and said good-night, and popped off to +sleep before you could wink your eyes. + + + + +II + +MARKET DAY WITH FATHER + + +One afternoon Kit and Kat were playing around the kitchen doorstep, +while their Mother sat on a bench by the door, peeling some onions for +supper. It was not yet supper-time, but Vrouw Vedder was always ahead +of the clock with the work. + +Kit and Kat had a pan of water and were teaching their ducklings to +swim. They each had one little fat duckling of their very own. The +ducklings squawked when Kit lifted them over the edge of the pan into +the water. + +"Don't do that, Kit," said Kat. "The ducklings don't like it. You +didn't like it when you fell into the water, did you?" + +"But I'm not a duck," said Kit. + +"Well, anyway, they're tired and want to go to their mother," said Kat. +"Let's do something else! I'll tell you what! Let's go out to the +garden and help Father get the boat loaded for market." + +"All right," said Kit. "May we, Mother?" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "and you may ask Father if he will take you +to market with him to-morrow if it's fair. Tell him I said you could +ask." + +"Oh, goody, goody!" said Kit and Kat, both at once; and they ran as +fast as their wooden shoes would take them out into the garden. + +They found their father cutting cabbages and gathering them into piles. +He was stopping to light his pipe, when they reached him. + +"O Father!" said Kit and Kat both together. "May we go on the boat to +market with you to-morrow morning? Mother said we might ask!" + +Father Vedder blew two puffs from his pipe without answering. + +"We'll help you load the boat," said Kit. + +"Yes," said Kat, "I can carry a cabbage." + +"I can carry two," said Kit. "We'll both be good," said Kat. + +"Very well," said Father, at last. "We'll see how you work! And +to-morrow morning, if it's fair, I'll see! But you must go to bed early +to-night, because you'll have to get up very early in the morning, if +you go with me! Now you each take a cabbage and run along." + +Father Vedder went back to his work. + +Kit and Kat ran to the cabbage-pile. Kat took one, and Kit took +two--just to show that he could. + +"When Father says 'I'll see,' he always means 'yes,'" Kat said to Kit. + +Perhaps it seems queer to you that they should go to market in a boat, +but it didn't seem queer at all to the Twins. + +Your see, in Holland there are a great many canals. They cross the +fields like roadways of water, and that is what they really are. Little +canals open into big ones, and big ones go clear to the sea. + +It is very easy for farmers to load their vegetables for market right +on a boat. They can pull the boat out into the big canal, and then away +they go to sell their produce in the town. + +The canals flow through the towns, too, and make water streets, where +boats go up and down as carriages go here. + +The Twins and their father worked like beavers, washing the vegetables +and packing them in baskets, until their good old boat was filled with +cabbages and onions and beets and carrots and all sorts of good things +to eat. + +By that time it was nearly dark, and they were all three very hungry; +so they went home. + +They found that Mother Vedder had made buttermilk porridge for supper. +The Twins loved buttermilk porridge. They each ate three bowls of it, +and then their mother put them to bed. + +This is a picture of the bed! It opened like a cupboard right into the +kitchen, and it was like going to bed on a shelf in the pantry. + +The very next thing the Twins knew, it was morning, and there was Vrouw +Vedder calling to them. + +"It's market day, and the sun is almost up. Come Kit and Kat, if you +want to go with Father," she said. + +The Twins bounced out like two rubber balls. They ate some breakfast +and then ran to the boat. + +Father was there before them. He helped them into the boat and put them +both on one seat, and told them to sit still. Then he got in and took +the pole and pushed off. + +Vrouw Vedder stood on the canal bank to see them pass. + +"Be good children; mind Father, and don't get lost," she called after +them. + +Kit and Kat were very busy all the way to town, looking at the things +to be seen on each side of the canal. + +It was so early in the morning that the grass was all shiny with dew. +Black and white cows were eating the rich green grass, and a few +laborers were already in the fields. + +They passed little groups of farm buildings, their red-tiled roofs +shining in the morning sun; and the windmills threw long, long shadows +across the fields. + +The blue blossoms of the flax nodded to them from the canal bank; and +once, they saw a stork fly over a mossy green roof, to her nest on the +chimney, with a frog in her mouth. + +They went under bridges and by little canals that opened into the main +canal. They passed so close to some of the houses that Kit and Kat +could see the white curtains blowing in the windows, and the pots of +red geraniums standing on the sill. In one house the family waved their +hands to Kit and Kat from the breakfast table, and a little farther on +they passed a woman who was washing clothes in the canal. Other boats +filled with vegetables and flowers of all colors passed them. And they +were going to market too. Only no other boat had twins in it. + +"Good day, neighbor Vedder," one man called out. "Are you taking a pair +of fat pigs to market?" + +By and by they came to the town. There were a great many boats in the +canal here, and people calling back and forth to each other from them. + +Kit and Kat saw a boat that the Captain's family lived in. It was like +a floating house. + +The Twins thought it must be grand to live on a boat like that, just +going about from town to town, seeing new sights every day. + +"We should never have to go to school at all," said Kit. + +They wished their own boat were big enough to move about in; but Father +told them they must sit very, very still all the time. + +There were houses on each side of the canal, in the town, and people +were clattering along over the pavement in their wooden shoes. + +The market-place was an open square in the middle of the town. It had +little booths and stalls all about it. The farmers brought their fresh +vegetables and flowers, or whatever they had to sell, into these +stalls, and then sat there waiting for customers. + +Kit and Kat helped their father to unload the boat. Then they sat down +on a box, and Father gave them each some bread and cheese to eat; for +they were hungry again. They put the cheese between slices of bread and +took bites, while they looked about. + +Soon there were a good many people in the square. Most of them were +women with market baskets on their arms. They went to the different +stalls to see what they would buy for dinner. + +A large woman with a big basket on her arm came along to the stall +where Kit and Kat were sitting. + +"Bless my heart!" she said. "Are you twins?" + +"Yes, Ma'am," said Kit and Kat. And Kat said, "We're five years old." + +"O my soul!" said the large woman. "So you are! What are your names?" + +"Christopher and Katrina, but they call us Kit and Kat for short." It +was Kat who said this. And Kit said, + +"When we are four feet and a half high, we are going to be called +Christopher and Katrina." + +"Well, well, well!" said the large woman. "So you are! Now my name is +Vrouw Van der Kloot. Are you helping Father?" + +"Yes," said the Twins. "We're going to help him sell things." + +"Then you may sell me a cabbage and ten onions," said Vrouw Van der +Kloot. + +Father Vedder's eyes twinkled, and he lit his pipe. Kit got a cabbage +for the Vrouw. + +"You can get the ten onions," he said to Kat. You see, really Kit +couldn't count ten and be sure of it. So he asked Kat to do it. + +Kat wasn't afraid. She took out a little pile of onions in a measure, +and said to Vrouw Van der Kloot, + +"Is that ten?" + +Then Vrouw Van der Kloot counted them with Kat, very carefully. There +were eleven, and so she gave back one. Then she gave Kat the money for +the onions, and Kit the money for the cabbage. + +Father Vedder said, "Now Kit and Kat, by and by, when you get hungry +again, you can go over to Vrouw Van der Kloot's stall and buy something +from her. She keeps the sweetie shop." + +"Oh! Oh!" cried Kit and Kat. "We're hungry yet! Can't we go now?" + +"No, not now," said Father. "We must do some work first." + +The Twins helped Father Vedder a long time. They learned to count ten +and to do several other things. Then their father gave them the money +for the cabbage and the ten onions they had sold to Vrouw Van der +Kloot, and said, + +"You may walk around the market and look in all the stalls, and buy the +thing you like best that costs just two cents. Then come back here to +me." + +Kit and Kat set forth on their travels, to see the world. They each +held the money tightly shut in one hand, and with the other hand they +held on to each other. + +"The world is very large," said Kit and Kat. + +They saw all sorts of strange things in the market. There were tables +piled high with flowers. There was a stall full of birds in cages, +singing away with all their might. One cage had five little birds in +it, sitting in a row. + +"O Kit," cried Kat, "let's buy the birds!" + +They asked the woman if the birds cost two cents, and she said, + +"No, my angels; they cost fifty cents." + +You see, now that the Twins could count ten, they knew they couldn't +get the birds for two cents when they cost fifty. So they went to the +next place. + +There, there were chickens and ducks for sale. But the Twins had plenty +of those at home. There were stalls and stalls of vegetables just like +Father's, and there were booths where meat and fish and wood and peat +were sold. But the Twins couldn't find anything they wanted that cost +exactly two cents. + +At last, what should they see but Vrouw Van der Kloot's fat face +smiling at them from a stall just full of cakes and cookies and bread, +and chocolate, and honey cakes, and goodies of all kinds. + +The Twins held up their money. + +There on the counter was a whole row of St. Nicholas dolls with currant +eyes, and they knew at once that there was nothing else in all the +market they should like so much! + +"Do these cost two cents apiece, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot?" asked Kat. + +"No," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; "they cost one cent apiece." + +The Twins were discouraged. + +"I don't believe there's a single thing in this whole market that costs +just two cents," said Kat. + +"Keep still!" said Kit. "Let me think." + +They sat down on the curb. Kat kept still, and Kit took hold of his +head with both hands and thought hard. He thought so hard that he +scowled all over his forehead! + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," he said at last. "If those St. Nicholas +dolls cost one cent apiece, I _think_ we could get two of them for two +cents." + +"O Kit," said Kat, "how splendidly you can think! Does it hurt you +much? Let's ask Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +They went back to the good Vrouw, who was selling some coffee bread to +a woman with a basket. + +"O Vrouw Van der Kloot," said Kat, "Kit says that if those St. Nicholas +dolls cost one cent apiece, he _thinks_ we could get two for two cents. +Do you think so?" + +"Of course you can," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; and she winked at the +lady with the bread. + +"But you've got two cents, and I've got two," said Kat to Kit. "If you +should get two Nicholas dolls, why, I should have my two cents left; +shouldn't I? Oh! dear, it won't come out right anyway!" + +"Let me think some more," said Kit; and when he had thought some more, +he said, + +"I'll tell you what let's! You get two with your two cents, and I'll +get two with mine! And I'll give my other one to Mother and you can +give your other one to Father!" + +"That's just what we'll do," said Kat. + +They went back to Vrouw Van der Kloot. + +"We'll take _four_ dolls," said Kat. + +"Well, well, well!" said the Vrouw. "So you've figured it all out, have +you?" And she counted out the dolls--"One for Kit, and one for Kat, and +one for Father, and one for Mother, and an extra one for good measure!" + +"O Kit, she's given us one more!" said Kat. "Let's eat it right now! +Thank you, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +So they ate up the one more then and there, beginning with the feet. +Kit bit one off, and Kat bit the other; and they took turns until the +St. Nicholas doll was all gone. + +Then they took the four others, said good-bye to the good Vrouw, and +went back to Father's stall. They found that Father had sold all his +things and was ready to go home. + +They carried their empty baskets back to the boat, and soon were on +their way home. The Twins sat on one seat, holding tight to their +dolls, which were growing rather sticky. + +The boat was so light that they went home from market much more quickly +than they had come, and it did not seem long before they saw their own +house. There it was, with its mossy roof half hidden among the trees, +and Vrouw Vedder waiting for them at the gate. + +Dinner was all ready, and the Twins set the four St. Nicholas dolls in +a row, in the middle of the table. + +"There's one for Father, and one for Mother, and one for Kat, and one +for me," said Kit. + +"O Mother," said Kat, "Kit can think! He thought just how many dolls he +could buy when they were one for one cent! Isn't it fine that he can do +that?" + +"You've learned a great deal at the market," said Vrouw Vedder. But Kit +didn't say a word. He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands +in his pockets. + +"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called +Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder. + +"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat. "Can't I go?" + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder. "Girls shouldn't think much. It isn't good for +them. Leave thinking to the men. You can stay at home and help me." + + + + +III + +MOTHER'S DAY + + +"Yesterday was a very long day," said Vrouw Vedder on the morning after +Market Day. "You were gone such a long time." + +Kat gave her mother a great hug. + +"We'll stay with you all day to-day, Mother," she said. "Won't we, Kit?" + +"Yes," said Kit; and he hugged her too. + +"And we'll help you just as much as we helped Father yesterday. Won't +we, Kit?" + +"More," said Kit. + +"I shouldn't wonder!" said Father. + +"I shall be glad of help," said Vrouw Vedder, "because Grandma is +coming, and I want everything to be very clean and tidy when she comes. +I'm going first to the pasture to milk the cow. You can go with me and +keep the flies away. That will be a great help." + +Vrouw Vedder put a yoke across her shoulders, with hooks hanging from +each end of it. Then she hung a large pail on one of the hooks, and a +brass milk can on the other. She gave Kat a little pail to carry, and +Kit took some switches from the willow tree in the yard, with which to +drive away the flies. Then they all three started down the road to the +pasture. + +Pretty soon they came to a little bridge over the canal, which they had +to cross. + +"Oh, dear," said Kat, looking down at the water, "I'm scared!" You see, +there was no railing at all to take hold of, and the bridge was quite +narrow. + +"Ho! 'Fraidy cat!" said Kit. "I'll go first and show you how." + +"And I'll walk behind you," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kat walked very slowly and held on hard to her pail, and so she got +over the bridge safely. + +"When I'm four feet and a half high, I'm going to jump over the canal +on a jumping pole," said Kit. + +"O how brave you are!" said Kat. "I should be scared. And besides I'm +afraid I should drop my shoes in the water." + +"Well, of course," said Kit, "boys can do a great many things that +girls can't do." + +When they reached the pasture, there was Mevrouw Holstein waiting for +them. Mevrouw Holstein was the cow's name. Kit and Kat named her. + +Vrouw Vedder tucked up her skirts--and that was quite a task, for she +wore a great many of them--and sat down on a little stool. Kit and Kat +stood beside her and waved their willow wands and said "Shoo!" to the +flies; and Vrouw Vedder began to milk. + +Mevrouw Holstein had eaten so much of the green meadow grass that Vrouw +Vedder filled both the big pail and the brass can, and the little pail +too, with rich milk. + +"I shall have milk enough to make butter and cheese," said Vrouw +Vedder. "There are no cows like our Dutch cows in all the world, I +believe." + +"O Mother, are you going to churn to-day?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said the Vrouw, "I have cream enough at home to make a good roll +of butter, and you may help me if you will be very careful and work +steadily." + +"I will be very steady," said Kat. "I'm big enough now to learn." + +"All Dutch girls must know how to make good butter and cheese," said +Vrouw Vedder. + +"And boys can drink the buttermilk," said Kit. + +"I'll drink some too," said Kat. + +"There'll be plenty for both," said their mother. + +When she had finished milking, Vrouw Vedder shook out her skirts, put +the yoke across her shoulders again and lifted the large pail of milk. +She hung it on one of the hook and the brass milk can on the other. Kat +took the small pail, and they started back home. The milk was quite +heavy, so they walked slowly. + +They had crossed the bridge and were just turning down the road, when +what should they see but their old goose and gander walking along the +road, followed by six little goslings! + +"O Mother, Mother," screamed Kat; "there is the old goose that we +haven't seen for so long! She has stolen her nest and hatched out six +little geese all her own! They are taking them to the canal to swim." + +"Quick, Kit, quick!" said Vrouw Vedder. "Don't let them go into the +canal! We must drive them home." + +Kit ran boldly forward in front of them, and Kat ran too. She spilled +some of the milk; but she was in such a hurry that she never knew it, +until afterwards, when she found some in her wooden shoes! + +"K-s-s-s!" said the old goose; and she ran straight for the Twins with +her mouth open and her wings spread! The old gander ran at them too. I +can't begin to tell you how scared Kat was then! She stood right still +and screamed. + +Kit was scared too; but he stood by Kat, like a brave boy, and shook +his willow switches at the geese, and shouted "Shoo! Shoo!" just as he +did at the flies. + +Vrouw Vedder set her pails down in the road and came up behind, +flapping her apron. Then the old goose and the gander and all the +little goslings started slowly along the road for home, saying cross +words in Goose talk all the way! + +Father Vedder was working in the garden, when the procession came down +the road. First came the geese, looking very indignant, and the +goslings. Then came Kit with the leaves all whipped off his willow +switches. Then came Kat with her pail; and, last of all, Vrouw Vedder +and the milk! + +When the new family of geese had been taken care of, and the fresh milk +had been put away to cool, Vrouw Vedder got out her churn and scalded +it well. Then she put in her cream, and put the cover down over the +handle of the dasher. + +"Now, Kit and Kat, you may take turns," she said, "and see which one of +you can bring the butter, but be sure you work the dasher very evenly +or the butter will not be good." + +"Me first!" said Kat, and she began. Kit sat on a little stool and +watched for the butter. + +Kat worked the dasher up and down, up and down. The cream splashed and +splashed inside the churn, and a little white ring of spatters came up +around the dasher. Kat worked until her arms ached. + +"Now it's my turn," said Kit. Then he poked the dasher, and the cream +splashed and splashed for quite a long time; but still the butter did +not come. + +"Ho!" said Kat. "You're nothing but a boy. Of course you don't know how +to churn. Let me try." And she took her turn. + +Dash! Splash! Splash, dash! She worked away; and very soon, around the +dasher, there was a ring of little specks of butter. + + "Come, butter, come! Come, butter, come! + Some for a honey cake, and some for a bun," + +she sang in time to the dasher; and truly, when Vrouw Vedder opened the +churn, there was a large cake of yellow butter! + +Vrouw Vedder took out the butter and worked it into a nice roll. Then +she gave each of the Twins a cup of buttermilk to drink. + +While the Twins drank the buttermilk, their mother washed the churn and +put it away. When she was all through, it was still quite early in the +morning, because they had gotten up with the sun. + +"Now we must clean the house," she said. + +So she got out her scrubbing-brushes, and mops, and pails, and dusters, +and began. + +First she shook out the pillows of the best bed, that nobody ever slept +in, and pushed back the curtains so that the embroidered coverlet could +be seen. Then she put the other beds in order and drew the curtains in +front of them. + +She dusted the linen press and left it open just a little, so that her +beautiful rolls of white linen, tied with ribbons, would show. Kat +dusted the chairs, and Kit carried the big brass jugs outside the +kitchen door to be polished. + +Then they all three rubbed and scoured and polished them until they +shone like the sun. + +"Now it is time to cook the dinner," said Vrouw Vedder. "We will have +pork and potatoes and some cabbage. Kit, run to the garden and bring a +cabbage; and Kat, you may get the fire ready to cook it, when Kit +brings it in." + +Kat went to the stove--but it was such a funny stove! It wasn't a stove +at all, really. + +There was a sort of table built up against the chimney. It was all +covered with pretty blue tiles, with pictures of boats on them. Over +this table, there was a shelf, like a mantel shelf. There were plates +on it, and from the bottom of the shelf hung some chains with hooks on +them. The coals were right out on the little table. + +Kat took the bellows and--puff, puff, puff!--made the coals burn +brighter. She peeped in the kettle to see that there was water in it. +Then she put some more charcoal on the fire. + +Kit brought in the cabbage, and Vrouw Vedder cut it up and put it into +the pot of water hanging over the fire. She put the pork and potatoes +in too. + +In a little while the pot was bubbling away merrily; and Father Vedder, +who was in the garden, sniffed the air and said, + +"I know what we are going to have for dinner." + +While the pot boiled, Vrouw Vedder scrubbed the floor and wiped the +window. Then she took her brooms and scrubbing-brush outside. + +She scrubbed the door and the outside of the house. She scrubbed the +little pig with soap. The little pig squealed, because she got some +soap in its eyes. She scrubbed the steps--and even the trunk of the +poplar tree in the yard! She scrubbed everything in sight, except +Father Vedder and the Twins! By and by she came to the door and called, + +"Come to dinner! Only be sure to leave your wooden shoes outside, when +you come into my clean kitchen." + +Here are the shoes, just as they left them, all in a row. And as it was +Saturday, the shoes were scrubbed too, that night. + +When the dinner was cleared away, Vrouw Vedder said to the Twins, + +"It is almost time for Grandmother to come. Let's walk out to meet her." + +They walked clear to the edge of the town before they saw her coming. +They walked on top of the dyke, so they could look right down into the +street, and see all the houses in a row. Grandmother was coming up the +street with a basket on her arm. + +"What do you think is in that basket?" Vrouw Vedder asked the Twins. + +"Honey cake!" said Kit; and Kat said, "Candy!" + +And Kit and Kat were both right. There was a large honey cake and anise +candies, and some currant buns besides! + +Grandmother let them peep in and see. They were very polite and did not +ask for any--Vrouw Vedder was proud of the Twins' good manners. +Grandmother said, + +"This afternoon, when we have tea, you shall have some." + +"I'm glad I ate such a lot of dinner," said Kit to Kat, as they walked +along; "or else I'd just have to have a bun this minute!" + +"Yes," said Kat, "it's much easier to be polite when you aren't hungry." + +When they got home, Kit and Kat took their Grandmother to see the new +goslings, and to see the ducklings too. And Vrouw Vedder showed her the +butter that Kit and Kat had helped to churn; and Grandmother said, + +"My, my! What helpers they are getting to be!" Then she said, "How +clean the house is!" and then, "How the brasses shine!" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "the Twins helped me make everything clean +and tidy to show to you." + +"I guess it's time for honey cake," said Grandmother. + +Then Vrouw Vedder stirred up the fire again and boiled the kettle and +made tea. She took down her best china cups and put them out on the +round table. + +Then Grandmother opened her basket and took out the honey cake and buns +and the candy; and Vrouw Vedder brought out her fresh butter. + +"I can't stay polite much longer," said Kit to Kat. + +Grandmother gave them each a thin slice of honey cake and a bun; and +Vrouw Vedder spread some of the butter on the buns--and oh, how good +they were! + + "Some for a honey cake, + And some for a bun," + +sang Kat. It didn't take the Twins long to finish them. + +When they had drunk their tea, Grandmother brought out her knitting, +and Mother Vedder began to spin. + +"How many rolls of linen have you ready for Kat when she marries?" +Grandmother asked. + +"I try to make at least one roll each year; so she has four now and I +am working on the fifth one," said Vrouw Vedder. "She shall be as +well-to-do as any farmer's daughter near here, when she marries. See, +this is the last one," and Vrouw Vedder took from the press a roll of +beautiful white linen tied with blue ribbons. + +"Is that for me, Mother?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder. "When you marry, we shall have a fine press +full of linen for you." + +"Isn't Kit going to have some too?" asked Kat. + +Grandmother laughed. + +"The mother of the little girl who will some day marry Kit, is working +now on her linen, no doubt; so Kit won't need any of yours." + +The Twins looked very solemn and went out into the yard. They sat down +on the bench by the kitchen door together. Then Kat said, + +"Kit, do you suppose we've got to be married?" + +"It looks like it," said Kit. + +Things seemed very dark indeed to the Twins. + +"Well," said Kat, "I just tell you I'm not going to do it. I'm going to +stay at home with Mother and Father, and you and the ducks and +everything!" + +"What will they do with the linen then?" said Kit. "I guess you'll have +to be married." + +Kat began to cry. + +"I'll just go and ask Mother," she said. + +"I'll go with you," said Kit. "I don't want to any more than you do." + +So the Twins got down from the bench and went into the kitchen where +Grandmother and Vrouw Vedder were. + +Their mother was spinning flax to make linen thread. + +"Mother," said the Twins, "will you please excuse us from being +married." + +"O my soul!" said Vrouw Vedder. She seemed surprised. + +"We don't want to at all," said Kat. "We'd rather stay with you." + +"You shan't be married until after you are four feet and a half high +and are called Christopher and Katrina anyway," said Vrouw Vedder. "I +promise you that." + +The Twins were much relieved. They went out and fed their ducklings. +They felt so much better that they gave them an extra handful of grain, +and they carried a bun to Father Vedder, who was hoeing in the farthest +corner of the garden. He ate it, leaning on his hoe. + +When they went back to the house, it was late in the afternoon. +Grandmother was rolling up her knitting. + +"I must go home to Grandfather;" she said. "He'll be wanting his +supper." + +The Twins walked down the road as far as the first bridge with +Grandmother. There she kissed them good-bye and sent them home. + +When their mother put them to bed that night, Kat said, + +"Has this been a short day, Mother?" + +"Oh, very short!" said Vrouw Vedder, "because you helped me so much." + +Then she kissed them good-night and went out to feed the pigs, and shut +up the chickens for the night. + +When she was gone, Kit said, + +"I don't see how they got along before we came. We help so much!" + +"No," said Kat; "I don't think--" But what she didn't think, no one +will ever know, because just then she popped off to sleep. + + + + +IV + +ONE SUNDAY + + +One Sunday morning in early fall, Kit and Kat woke up and peeped out +from their cupboard bed to see what was going on in the world. + +The sun was shining through the little panes of the kitchen window, +making square patches of light on the floor. The kettle was singing on +the fire, and Vrouw Vedder was already putting away the breakfast +things. + +Father Vedder was lighting his pipe with a coal from the fire. He had +on his black Sunday clothes, all ready for church. Father Vedder did +not look at Kit and Kat at all. He just puffed away at his pipe and +said to himself, + +"If there are any Twins anywhere that want to go to church with me, +they'd better get dressed and eat their breakfasts." + +Kit and Kat tumbled out of the cupboard at once. + +Vrouw Vedder came to help them dress. + +I can't tell you how many petticoats she put on Kat, but it was ever so +many. And over them all she put a skirt of plaid. There was a waist of +a different color, and over that a kerchief with bright red roses on +it. And over the skirt she put a new, clean apron. + +Kit was dressed very splendidly too. He had full baggy trousers of +velveteen that reached to his ankles, and a jacket that buttoned with +big silver buttons. His trousers had pockets in them. + +Kit and Kat both wore stockings, which Vrouw Vedder had knit, and their +best shoes of stout leather. + +When they were all dressed, Vrouw Vedder stood them up side by side and +had them turn around slowly to be sure they were all right. + +"Now see that you behave well in meeting," she said. "Sit up straight. +Look at the Dominie, and do not whisper." + +"Yes, Mother," said Kit and Kat. + +Then she tied a big apron over each of them and gave them each a bowl +of bread and milk. While they were eating it, Father Vedder went out +and looked at the pigs, and chickens, and ducks, and geese, and smoked +his pipe. + +When he came in, Kit and Kat were quite ready. Vrouw Vedder had tied on +Kat's little white-winged cap, and put Kit's hat on. She kissed them +good-bye, and they were off, one on each side of Father Vedder, holding +tight to his hands. + +Mother Vedder looked after them proudly, from the doorway. She did not +go to church that day. + +They walked slowly along the roadway in the bright sunshine. Many of +their neighbors and friends, all dressed in their best, were walking to +church, too. + +Father Vedder and Kit and Kat went a little out of their way, in order +to pass a large windmill that was swinging its arms around and creaking +out a kind of sleepy windmill song. This is the song it seemed to sing: + + Around, and around, and around, I go, + Sometimes fast and sometimes slow. + I pump the water and grind the grain, + The marshy fields of the Lowlands, drain. + I harness the wind to turn my mill, + Around, and around, and around with a will! + +Perhaps it was listening to the windmill song that made Kat say, + +"Why do we have windmills, father?" + +Kit and Kat said "Why?" every few steps on that walk. You see, they +didn't often have their father all to themselves, to ask questions of. + +"Why, what a little Dutch girl," said Father Vedder, "not to know what +windmills are for! They pump the water out of the fields, to be sure! +Don't you know how wet the fields are sometimes? If we didn't keep +pumping the water out, they would be so wet we could not make gardens +at all." + +"Does the wind pump the water?" asked Kat. + +"Of course it does, goosie girl! and grinds the grain too. The wind +blows against the great arms and turns them round and round. That works +the pumps; and the pumps suck the water out of the fields, and it is +poured out into the canals. If it weren't for the good old windmills +working away, who knows but the water would get the best of us some day +and cover up all our land!" + +"Wouldn't the dykes keep out the sea?" asked Kit. + +"Suppose the dykes should break!" said Father Vedder. "Even one little +break can let in lots of water. The dykes have to be watched day and +night all the time, and the least bit of a hole stopped up right away, +so it can't grow any bigger and let in the sea." + +"Oh dear," Kat said, "what a leaky country!" + +She ran near the mill and let the wind from the fans blow her hair and +the white wings on her cap. + +As the great fans swung near the ground, Kit jumped up and caught hold +of one. It lifted him right off the ground as it swung around, and in a +minute he was dangling high in the air. + +"Jump, jump, quick," shouted Father Vedder. + +Kit let go and dropped to the ground just in time. In another minute he +would have been carried clear over. + +As it was, he sat down very hard on the ground, and had to have the +dirt brushed off of his Sunday clothes. + +"I am surprised at you," Father Vedder said, while he brushed him. "You +are too small to swing on windmills, and besides it is the Sabbath day. +Don't you ever do it again until you are big enough to be called +Christopher!" + +Sitting down so hard in the dirt had hurt Kit a little bit, and scared +him a good deal, so he said, "No, father." + +Then they walked all around the mill. They peeped inside a door which +was open, and saw the pumps working away. + +"Yes," said Father Vedder, "it is nip and tuck between wind and water +in Holland. Let us sit down here on the canal bank, in the sunshine, +and I will tell you what hard work has to be done to keep this good +land of ours. And it is a good land! We should be thankful for it! Just +see the rich green meadows over there, with the cows grazing in them!" +Father Vedder pointed to the beautiful fields across the canal. "The +grass is so rich and fresh, that the cows here give more milk than any +other cows in the whole world!" + +"That's what Mother says," said Kat. + +"The Holland butter and cheese are famous everywhere," went on Father +Vedder; "and we have all the good milk we want to drink, besides. The +Dutch gardens, too, are the finest in the world." + +"And ours is one of the best of Dutch gardens, isn't it, Father?" said +Kit. + +"It's a very good garden," said Father Vedder, proudly. "No one can +raise better onions and cabbage and carrots than I can. And the Dutch +bulbs! Our tulips and hyacinths make the whole world bloom!" + +"Holland is really the greatest country there is; isn't it?" said Kit. + +"Well, not in point of size, perhaps," Father Vedder admitted; "but in +pluck, my boy, it is! Did you know that sometimes people call Holland +the Land of Pluck?" + +"I don't see why," said Kat. "I'm Dutch, but I'm afraid of lots of +things! I'm afraid of spiders and of cross geese, and of falling into +the water!" + +"You're a girl, if you are Dutch," said Kit. "Boys are always pluckier +than girls; aren't they, Father?" + +"Really plucky people never boast," said Father Vedder. + +Kit looked the other way and dug the toe of his shoe into the dirt. Kat +snuggled up to her Father and sniffed at Kit. + +"So there, Kit!" was all she said. + +"There's pluck enough to go round," said Father Vedder mildly, "and we +all need it boys and girls, and men and women too. It was pluck that +made Holland, and it's pluck that keeps her from slipping back into the +sea." + +"How did pluck make Holland?" asked Kit. + +"There wasn't any Holland in the first place," Father Vedder answered. +"There were only some marshes and some lands under water. But people +built a wall of earth around these flats; and then they pumped out the +water from the space inside the wall, and made canals through the land, +and drained it. And after all that work, we have our rich fields." + +"How does pluck keep them?" asked Kat. + +"The dykes have to be watched and mended all the time," said Father +Vedder. "And the windmills have to work and work, to keep the fields +drained. No one can be lazy in Holland. Each one has to work well for +what he gets. If Holland should grow lazy, she would soon be back again +in the Zuyder Zee! So, my children, you see you must learn well and +work hard. And that is all my sermon to-day." + +"It is a better sermon than the Dominie will preach, I know," said Kat. + +"Tut, tut! You must never say such things," said Father Vedder. He got +up and held out his hands to the Twins. + +"Come! we must walk along, or we shall be late for church," he said. +"Here comes the Dominie now." + +There indeed was the Dominie! Kit and Kat knew him well. No one else +dressed as he did. He wore a high silk hat, and long, black coat and +trousers, such as city people wear. + +As he came along the road, all the people bowed respectfully; the +little boys took off their caps, and the little girls bobbed a +courtesy. Kit and Kat bobbed and courtesied too, and the Dominie smiled +at them and laid his hand on Kit's head. + +"I wish he'd come to see us again," said Kit, after the Dominie had +passed by. + +Father Vedder was pleased. + +"I am glad to see that you love your pastor, my son," he said. + +"Well," said Kit, "I don't really like him so very much, because we +have to be washed, and recite the catechism, and mind all our manners +when he comes. But Mother always has such good things to eat when the +Dominie comes--doesn't she, Kat?--cake and preserves and everything!" + +"If it weren't for the catechism and such things, it would be something +like St. Nicholas day!" sighed Kat. "But the Dominie never forgets! And +last time I couldn't tell what saving grace was! The cakes are good, +but..." + +"Good Dutch boys and girls always learn their catechism well," said +Father Vedder; "then they are glad to see the good Dominie as well as +the cakes. Now no more chatter! Here is a penny for each of you to put +in the bag when it is passed." + +He gave them each a penny. Kit put his in his pocket. Kat didn't have a +pocket, so she held hers tight in her hand. + +At the church door they met Grandfather and Grandmother. + +Grandfather looked very fine indeed, in his black clothes; and +Grandmother was all dressed up in her best black dress, with a fresh +white cap, and a shawl over her shoulders. She carried a large psalm +book with golden clasps in one hand, and a scent bottle in the other. +She had some peppermints too. Kit and Kat smelled them. + +They all went into the church together, and an old woman led them to +their seats. Kit and Kat sat one on each side of Grandmother. +Grandfather and Father Vedder sat on the other side of the church with +all the rest of the men. + +"You must sit very still and look straight before you," said +Grandmother. + +Kit remembered the peppermints and sat up like a soldier. So did Kat. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came in and went up into the pulpit. He +read a chapter from the Bible, and then the Dominie stood up in the +pulpit and began to preach. He preached a long time. + +Kit and Kat tried very hard to sit still, just as Grandmother had said; +but pretty soon their heads began to nod. + +Grandmother gave them each a peppermint. + +They waked up for a minute. But the Dominie kept right on preaching, +until they were both sound asleep with their heads on Grandmother's +shoulders, one on each side; and if they had been awake to see, they +might have thought that Grandmother took a nap too. + +The sermon was so very long that a great many people went to sleep. So, +by and by, the Dominie said, + +"We will all sing the Ninety-first Psalm." + +Everybody woke up. + +Grandmother opened the great golden clasps of her psalm book, and stood +up with all the rest of the people. She stood up quickly, so that no +one would think she had been asleep. She forgot that the Twins were +asleep too, with their heads on her shoulders. That was why, when she +got up, Kit and Kat fell against each other and bumped their heads! + +They forgot that they were in church. They said "Ow!" both together, +and Kat began to cry. But Grandmother said "Sh! sh!" and gave them each +a peppermint; and that made them feel much better. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came along with a little bag on the end of +a long stick. He passed it to each person. Kit and Kat each put in a +penny, though Kit had a hard time to get his out of his pocket. But +Grandmother was so upset about the Twins getting bumped, that she +forgot and put in a peppermint instead. + +When church was over and they were out on the street again, Grandmother +said, + +"Now you are coming home with me to stay all night." + +"Really and truly?" said the Twins. "And may we go with Grandfather to +carry the milk in the morning?" + +"Yes," said Grandfather, "and Kit may drive the dogs." + +Kit jumped right up and down, he was so happy, even if it was Sunday. + +"May I too? May I too?" asked Kat. + +"You are a girl," said Grandfather. "You may ride in the wagon." + +"Oh, I wish to-morrow would come right away," said Kat. + +Then Kit and Kat said good-bye to Father Vedder and went home with +Grandmother and Grandfather. + +They lived on a little street in the town, where the houses stood in a +row close together. The houses were built of brick and had wooden +shutters at the windows, and they were so clean they shone in the sun. + +This is a picture of Grandmother's house and of Grandmother and Kit and +Kat going in. The door opened right into the kitchen. + +Grandmother put away her shawl and psalm book and scent bottle as soon +as she was home. Then she put on a big apron and drew out the round +table. + +She boiled the kettle and made coffee; and, when it was done, she set +the coffee pot on a pretty little porcelain stove on the table to keep +hot. She got out bread and cheese and smoked beef and, best of all, a +plate of little cakes. + +Then they all four sat down to eat. I will not tell you how many cakes +Kit and Kat ate, but it was a good many. + +After dinner, Grandmother put away the things, and Kat helped her. + +Kit sat beside Grandfather in the doorway while he smoked. Pretty soon +Grandfather said, + +"Bring me my accordeon, Kit." + +Kit ran to the press in the corner. He knew where the accordeon was +kept. + +Then Grandfather took the accordeon, tipped his head back, shut his +eyes and began to play, beating time with one foot. Kat heard the music +and came out too. + +She and Kit sat down on the doorstep, one on each side of Grandfather, +to listen. + +Grandfather played six tunes. + +Then Grandmother said, + +"Why don't we go to the woods to hear the band play?" + +"No reason at all," said Grandfather. So very soon they were on their +way to a grove on the edge of the town. + +In the grove a band was playing; and just as the Twins and Grandfather +and Grandmother came up, it began to play the national hymn of Holland. +All the people began to sing. There were a great many people in the +grove, and they all sang as aloud as they could; so there was a great +sound. Grandfather and Grandmother and Kit and Kat all sang too; for +they all knew every word of the hymn. + +This is what they sang: + + Let him in whom old Dutch blood flows, + Untainted, free and strong; + Whose heart for Prince and Country glows, + Now join us in our song; + Let him with us lift up his voice, + And sing in patriot band, + The song at which all hearts rejoice, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + We brothers, true unto a man, + Will sing the old song yet; + Away with him who ever can + His Prince or Land forget! + A human heart glowed in him ne'er, + We turn from him our hand, + Who callous hears the song and prayer, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Preserve, O God, the dear old ground + Thou to our fathers gave; + The land where we a cradle found, + And where we'll find a grave! + We call, O Lord, to Thee on high, + As near death's door we stand, + Oh! Safety, blessing to our cry + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Loud ring thro' all rejoicings here, + Our prayer, O Lord, to Thee; + Preserve our Prince, his house so dear + To Holland great and free! + From youth thro' life, be this our song, + Till near to death we stand: + O God, preserve our sov'reign long, + Our Prince and Fatherland, + Our Prince and Fatherland. + +Now, while the people were singing with all their might, and the band +was playing, and Kit and Kat were having the most beautiful time they +had ever had in their whole lives, what do you think happened? + +Down the long drive through the trees came a great, splendid carriage, +drawn by a pair of beautiful white horses with wavy white tails and +manes. There were two soldiers on horseback riding in front of the +carriage, and the driver of the carriage was dressed in blue and orange +livery. + +The carriage was open, and in it sat a beautiful, smiling young lady. +Beside her sat her husband; and a nurse, in the other seat, held a baby +in her arms. + +When the people saw the carriage and the lady, they waved their caps +and shouted, "Long live the Queen!" + +"Look! Look! Kit and Kat," said Grandfather. "It is your dear Queen +Wilhelmina, and Prince Henry and the little Princess! Wave your hands!" + +Kit and Kat waved with all their might, but they were so short, and the +people crowded beside the driveway so, that neither of them could see. +Then Grandfather caught Kit and lifted him up high, and Grandmother did +the same with Kat. + +It was fine to be up so high. Kit and Kat could see everything better +than anyone else there. And when the carriage came by, the queen saw +Kit and Kat! She smiled at them, and the nurse held the little Princess +up high for them to see! Kit and Kat threw kisses to the little +Princess; and the Princess waved her baby hand to Kit and Kat; and then +they were all gone, like a bright dream. + +But the soldiers were better to see even than queens, Kit thought. Kat +thought the baby, any baby, was nicer than either. + +When the carriage was out of sight, Grandfather and Grandmother set the +Twins down on the ground. Everyone began to talk about the Queen, about +how sweet she was, and how good; and the band played, and everybody was +as happy as they could possibly be. + +By and by it was time to go home; for, Grandfather said, "Dutch girls +and boys must learn to get up early in the morning, especially Twins +that are going out with the milk cart." + +So they went back to Grandfather Winkle's house; and Grandmother put +them to bed in a little cupboard like their own at home, after they had +had some supper. And the last thing Kat said that night was, + +"O Kit, just to think that to-day we saw the Queen and the soldiers, +and the Queen's baby, and to-morrow we are going to drive in the milk +cart! What a beautiful world it is!" + +Just as they were dropping off to sleep, they heard a great noise in +the street. + +"Clap, clap, clap," it sounded, eight times. + +"There goes the Klapper man," said Grandmother Winkle. "Eight o'clock, +and time all honest folk were abed." + + + + +V + +THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART + + +The next morning Kit and Kat woke up very early, without any one's +calling them. You see, they were afraid they would be too late to go +with the milk cart. + +But Grandfather Winkle had only just gone out to get the milk ready, +and they had plenty of time to dress while Grandmother got breakfast. +Grandmother helped with the buttons and the hard parts. + +Grandmother Winkle's kitchen was quite like the kitchen at home, only a +little nicer. It had red tiles on the floor; and it had ever so many +blue plates hanging around on the walls, and standing on edge in a row +on the shelves. There was a warming-pan with a bright brass cover, +hanging on the wall; and I wish you could have seen the pillows and the +coverlet on the best bed! + +Grandmother Winkle had embroidered those all herself, and she was very +proud of them. When she had company, she always drew the curtains back +so that her beautiful bed would be seen. She said that Kit and Kat were +company, and she always left the curtains open when they came to visit +her. + +When the Twins were all dressed, Grandmother said, + +"Mercy sakes! You have on your best clothes! Now that's just like a man +to promise to take you out in your best clothes in a milk wagon! +Whatever was Grandfather thinking about!" + +Kit and Kat thought she was going to say that they couldn't go, so they +dug their knuckles in their eyes and began to cry. But they hadn't got +farther than the first whimper when Grandmother said, + +"Well, well, we must fix it somehow. Don't cry now, that's a good Kit +and Kat." So the Twins took their knuckles out of their eyes and began +to smile. + +Grandmother went to the press and brought out two aprons. One was a +very small apron. It wouldn't reach to Kit's knees. But she put it on +him and tied it around his waist. + +"This was your Uncle Jan's when he was a little boy," she said. "It's +pretty small, but it will help some." + +Kit wished that Uncle Jan had taken it with him when he went to +America. But he didn't say so. + +Then Grandmother took another apron out of the press. It looked as if +it had been there a long time. + +"Kat, you must wear this," she said. "It was your mother's when she was +a little girl." + +Now, this apron was all faded, and it had patches on it of different +kinds of cloth. Kat looked at her best dress. Then she looked at the +apron. Then she thought about the milk cart. She wondered if she wanted +to go in the milk cart badly enough to wear that apron over her Sunday +dress! She stuck her finger in her mouth and looked sidewise at +Grandmother Winkle. + +Grandmother didn't say a word. She just looked firm and held up the +apron. + +Very soon Kat came slowly--very slowly--and Grandmother buttoned the +apron up behind, and that was the end of that. + +The Twins could hardly eat any breakfast, they were in such a hurry to +go. As soon as they had taken the last spoonful, and Grandfather Winkle +had finished his coffee, they ran out into the place where the dogs +were kept, to help Grandfather harness them. + +There were two black and white dogs. Their names were Peter and Paul. + +The wagon was small, just the right size for the dogs; and it was +painted blue. The bright brass cans full of milk were already in; and +there was a little seat for Kat to sit on. + +When the last strap was fastened, Grandfather lifted Kat up and set her +on the seat. She held on with both hands. + +Then Grandfather gave the lines to Kit, and a little stick for a whip, +and told him to walk slowly along beside the dogs. He told him to be +sure not to let go of the lines. + +Grandfather walked behind, carrying some milk cans. + +Grandmother stood in the door to see them off; and, as they started +away, Kat took one hand off the cart long enough to wave it to her. +Then she held on again; for the bricks in the pavement made the cart +joggle a good deal. + +"We must go first to Vrouw de Vet," Grandfather called out. "She takes +one quart of milk. Go slowly." + +At first Kit went slowly. But pretty soon there was a great rattling +behind him; and Hans Hite, a boy he knew, drove right past him with his +dog cart! He drove fast; and, as he passed Kit, he stuck out his tongue +and called out, + + "Milk for sale! Milk for sale! + A milk cart drawn by a pair of snails!" + +Kit forgot all about going slowly. + +"Get up!" he said to the dogs, and he touched them with his long stick. + +Peter and Paul "got up." They jumped forward and began to run! + +Kit ran as fast as his legs would go beside the dogs, holding the +lines. But the dogs had four legs apiece, and Kit had only two; so you +see he couldn't keep up very well. + +Kat began to scream the moment that Peter and Paul began to run. The +dogs thought that something that made a dreadful noise was after them, +and they ran faster than ever. You see, Grandfather Winkle never in the +world screamed like that, and Peter and Paul didn't know what to make +of it. So they ran and ran and ran. + +Kat held on the best she could, but she bounced up ever so far in the +air every time the cart struck a bump in the street. So did the milk +cans; and when they came down again, the milk splashed out. + +Kat didn't always come down in the same spot. All the spots were hard, +so it didn't really matter much which one she struck as she came down. + +But Kat didn't think about that; she just screamed. And Peter and Paul +ran and ran, and Kit ran and ran, until he couldn't run any more; he +just sat down hard on the pavement and slid along. But he didn't let go +of the lines! + +When Kit sat down, it jerked the dogs so hard that they stopped +suddenly. But Kat didn't stop; she went right on. She flew out over the +front of the cart and landed on the ground, among all of Peter and +Paul's legs! Then she stopped going, but she didn't stop screaming. + +And, though Kit was a boy, he screamed some too. Then Peter and Paul +pointed their noses up in the air and began to howl. + +Way back, ever so far, Grandfather was coming along as fast as he +could; but that wasn't very fast. + +All the doors on the street flew open, and all the good housewives came +clattering out to see what was the matter. They picked Kat up and told +her not to cry, and wiped her eyes with their aprons, and stood Kit on +his feet, and patted the dogs; and pretty soon Peter and Paul stopped +barking, and Kit and Kat stopped screaming, and then it was time to +find out what had really happened. + +Neither of the Twins had any broken bones; the good housewives wiggled +all their arms and legs, and felt of their bones to see. But shocking +things had happened, nevertheless! Kat had torn a great hole in the +front of her best dress; and Kit had worn two round holes in the seat +of his Sunday clothes, where he slid along on the pavement; and, +besides that, the milk was slopped all over the bottom of the cart! + +Just then Grandfather came up. If it hadn't been that his pipe was +still in his mouth, I really don't know what he might not have said! He +looked at the cart, and he looked at the Twins. Then he took his pipe +out of his mouth and said sternly to Kit, + +"Why didn't you do as I told you?" + +"I did," said Kit, very much scared. "You told me to be sure to hold +tight to the lines, and I did! I never let go once." + +"Yes, and look at his clothes," said one of the women. She turned him +around and showed Grandfather the holes. + +"I told you to go slowly," said Grandfather. "Now look at the cart, and +see what you've done by not minding, spoiled your best clothes and +Kat's, and spilled the milk! Go back to Grandmother." + +"But I couldn't mind twice at one time," said Kit. "I was minding about +not letting go." + +"Oh dear," sobbed Kat, "I wish we were four and a half feet high now! +If we were, this never would have happened." + +Grandfather took the dogs and went on to Vrouw de Vet's, without +another word. + +The Twins took each other's hands, and walked back to Grandmother's +house. Quite a number of little boys and girls in wooden shoes +clattered along with them. Grandmother heard all the noise, and ran to +the door to see what was the matter. + +"Laws a mercy me, I told you so!" she cried, the moment she saw them. +"Look at your clothes! See how you've torn them!" + +"I can't see the holes in mine," said Kit. + +"But I can," said Kat. And then all the children talked at once; and +what with wooden shoes and the tongues all going, Grandmother clapped +her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. Then she took Kit and +Kat into the kitchen and shut the door. She put on her glasses and got +down on the floor so she could see better. + +Then she turned Kit and Kat all around and looked at the holes. "O! my +soul!" she said. She took off the aprons and the torn clothes and put +the Twins to bed while she mended. + +She got out a pair of Grandfather's oldest velveteen breeches that had +been patched a great deal, and found a good piece to patch with. Then +she patched the holes in Kit's breeches so neatly that one had to look +very carefully indeed to see that there had ever been any holes there +at all. + +Then she patched Kat's dress; and, when it was all done, she shook it +out and said to herself, + +"Seems to me those Twins have been quiet for a long time." + +She went over to the cupboard bed; and there were Kit and Kat fast +asleep; with their cheeks all stained with tears and dirt. Grandmother +Winkle kissed them. Kit and Kat woke up, and Grandmother dressed them +in their Sunday clothes again, and washed their faces and made them +feel as good as new. + +By and by Grandfather Winkle came home from going about with the milk. +Grandmother Winkle scrubbed the cart and made it all clean again; and +by noon you would never have known, unless you had looked very, very +closely--much more closely than would be polite--that anything had +happened to the Twins or the milk cart, or their clothes or anything. + +After they had eaten their dinner, and the dogs were rested and +Grandfather had smoked his pipe he said, + +"Kit, if you think you can mind, I will take you and Kat both home in +the dog cart." Kit and Kat both nodded their heads very hard. "Only, +I'll do the driving myself," said Grandfather Winkle. And he did. + +He put Kit and Kat both on the seat, and he walked slowly beside the +cart. They went out on the road beside the canal toward home. They got +there just as the sun was getting low in the west, and Vrouw Vedder was +going out to feed her chickens. + + + + +VI + +THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + + +One morning, when Kit and Kat ran out early to feed their ducklings, +the frost nipped their noses and ears. + +"It's getting colder every day. Very soon winter will come," Kat said. + +They ran down to the canal. The old goose and the gander and the +goslings--now half grown--were standing on the bank, looking unhappy: +there was a thin sheet of ice all over the canal, and they could not go +swimming. + +Kit took a stick and broke the ice. Thin sheets of it, like pieces of +broken glass, were soon floating about; and the old goose, the gander, +and all the goslings went down the bank in a procession into the water. + +They swam about among the pieces of ice for a while, but it was so cold +that they soon came up on the bank into the sun again and wiggled their +tails to shake out the water. Then they all sat down in the sun to get +their feet warm. + +Kit and Kat ran up and down the road and played tag until their cheeks +were red and they were warm as toast. Then they ran into Vrouw Vedder's +warm kitchen. + +The kettle was singing on the fire, and there was a smell of coffee in +the air. Vrouw Vedder gave the Twins some in a large cup. She put in a +good deal of milk and gave them each a piece of sugar to sweeten it +with. + +"Is it Sunday?" asked Kat. On Sundays they sometimes had coffee. On +other days they had milk. + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder; "but it is cold, and I thought a cup of coffee +would warm us all up." + +While they were drinking their coffee, Kit and Kat talked about the +ice, and what fun they would have with their sleds on the canals when +winter came. + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," said Kit; "I think we're big enough to +have skates. Hans Hite isn't much bigger than I am, and he had skates +last winter. I mean to ask Father this very day." + +"Yah," said Kat--that is the way Dutch Twins always say yes--"Yah, and +let us be very good and help mother all we can. I think maybe they will +give skates to good Twins quite soon, even if we aren't very big +yet--not big enough to be called Christopher and Katrina." + +Vrouw Vedder was heating water and getting out her scrubbing brushes, +so Kit and Kat knew that she was going to clean something. + +"What are you going to scrub to-day, Mother?" asked Kit. + +"I'm going to scrub the stable," said Vrouw Vedder. "It is getting too +cold for the cows to stay all night in the pastures. Father means to +bring Mevrouw Holstein in to-night, and I want her stable to be nice +and clean for her." + +"We'll help you," said Kit and Kat very politely. + +"Good children!" their mother said. "You may carry the brushes." So +they opened a door beside the fireplace, and walked right into the +stable. + +The stable was really a part of the house. There were two stalls in the +stable. Vrouw Vedder took her pails of water and her brushes and began +to scrub. She scrubbed the walls, and the sides of the stalls, and the +floor. The Twins scrubbed, too, until they were tired; and the stable +was so clean, you would have liked to live there yourself. + +"Let's play out here," said Kat. "Let's play house." + +"All right," said Kit. "I'll be the father, and you be the mother." + +"But who will be Twins?" said Kat. + +"Let's get the ducklings," said Kit. + +"They can be Twins, of course," said Kat. "They are, anyway." + +So Kit ran out and brought in the ducklings. They were so tame they +always ran to Kit and Kat, when they saw them coming. They were almost +ducks now, they had grown so big. + +"Let's give the Twins their dinner," said Kat. So she got some grain, +and they both sat down on a little box and held the ducks in their laps +and fed them from their hands. The ducks ate greedily. + +"You have very bad manners," said Kat. "You will get your clothes all +dirty." She took two rags and tied them around the ducks' necks for +bibs. The ducks did not like bibs. They quacked. + +"Now don't say anything like that," said Kat. "You must do just as you +are told and not spill your food." + +Then Kit got some water and a spoon and gave the Twins a drink, but +they did not like the drink either. + +"Now we must put them to sleep," said Kat. They rocked the ducks in +their arms, but the ducks squawked dreadfully. + +"What bad children to cry so!" said Kit. "You can have both the Twins"; +and he gave his duck to Kat. + +"You fix a bed for them," said Kat. So Kit turned up the box they had +been sitting on, and put some hay in it; and they put the ducks in on +the hay. + +Pretty soon the ducks went to sleep. Kit and Kat ran away to play out +of doors and forgot all about them. + +They didn't think about them again until Father Vedder came home at +night with Mevrouw Holstein. When he put the cow into the stall, he +stumbled over the box. It was rather dark in the stable. + +"Quack, quack!" said the ducks. + +Kit and Kat were helping Father put the cow into the stall and get some +hay for her. When the ducks quacked, Father Vedder said, + +"What in the world is this?" + +"Oh, our Twins! our Twins!" cried Kit and Kat. "Don't let Mevrouw +Holstein step on the Twins!" + +Father Vedder pulled out the box. Kit and Kat each took a duck and +carried it out to the poultry house. + +"Twins are a great care," said Kit and Kat. + +"Now is the time to ask," whispered Kat to Kit, that night, when Father +Vedder had finished his supper and was lighting his pipe. "You must ask +very politely, just the very politest way you can." + +They went and stood before their father. They put their feet together. +Kit made a bow, and Kat bobbed a curtsy. + +"Dear parent," said Kit. + +"That's a good start," whispered Kat. "Go on." + +"Well, well, what now?" said Father Vedder. + +"Dear parent, Kat and I are quite big now. I think we must be nearly +four feet and a half high. Don't you think we are big enough to have +skates this winter?" + +"So that's it!" said Father Vedder. Then he smoked his pipe again. + +"There was ice on the canal this morning," said Kat. + +"So you think you are big enough to skate, do you?" said Father Vedder, +at last. Mother Vedder was clearing away the supper. "What do you think +about it, Mother?" said Father Vedder. + +"They have been very good children," said the Vrouw. "There are the +skates you and I had when we were children. We might try them on and +see if they are big enough to wear them. They are in the bag hanging +back of the press." + +Kit and Kat almost screamed with joy. + +"Our feet are quite large. I'm sure we can wear them," they said. + +Father Vedder got the bag down and took out two pairs of skates. They +had long curling ends on the runners. The Twins sat down on the floor. +Father Vedder tried on the skates. + +"They are still pretty large; but you will grow," he told the Twins. +"You may have them if you will be very careful and not let them get +rusty. By and by we will teach you to skate." + +The Twins practiced standing in the skates on the kitchen floor; and, +when bedtime came, they took the skates to bed with them. + +"O Kit," said Kat, "I never supposed we'd get them so soon. Did you?" + +"Well," said Kit, "you see, we're pretty big and very good. That makes +a difference." + +"It's very nice to be good when people notice it, isn't it?" said Kat. + +"Yah," said Kit. "I'm going to be good now right along, all the time; +for very soon St. Nicholas will come, and he leaves only a rod in the +shoes of bad children. And if you've been bad, you have to tell him +about it." + +"Oh! Oh!" said Kat. "I'm going to be good all the time too. I'm going +to be good until after the feast of St. Nicholas, anyway." + +Not many days after Kit and Kat got their skates, there came a cold, +cold wind. It blew over the fields and over the canals all day and all +night long; and in the morning, when the Twins looked out, the canal +was one shining roadway of ice. + +Father Vedder came in from the stable with a great pail full of milk. + +"Winter is here now, for good and all," he said, as he set the pail +down. "The canals are frozen over, and soon it will be the day for the +feast of St. Nicholas." + +Kit and Kat ran to him and said, both together, + +"Dear Father Vedder, will you please teach us to skate before St. +Nicholas Day?" + +"I'll see if the ice is strong enough to bear," said Father Vedder; and +he went right down to the canal to see, that very minute. When he came +in, he said, + +"Yes, the ice is strong; and we will go out as soon as you are ready, +and try your skates." + +Vrouw Vedder said, "I should like to go too"; and Father Vedder said to +Kit and Kat, + +"Your mother used to be the finest skater in the whole village when she +was a young girl. You must not let her beat you." + +They hurried through with their work, Kit and Kat helped. Then they all +put on their heavy shoes and wraps, took their skates over their +shoulders, and started for the canal. + +"If you learn to skate well enough, we will take you to town before the +feast of St. Nicholas," said Father Vedder. "But it comes very soon." + +He put on his own skates and Kit's, and the mother put on her own and +Kat's. + +"I'm sure we can do it almost right away," said Kat. + +"Now we'll show you how to skate," said Father Vedder. He stood the +Twins up on the ice. They held each other's hands. They were afraid to +move. Father Vedder took Mother Vedder's hand. + +"See," he said, "like this!" And away they went like two swallows, +skimming over the ice. In a minute they were ever so far away. + +Kit and Kat felt lonesome, and very queer, when they saw their father +and mother flying along in that way. They weren't used to see them do +anything but work, and move about slowly. + +"It looks easy," said Kit. "Let's try it. We must not be afraid." + +He started with his right leg, pushing it out a little in front of him. +But it was very strange how his legs acted. They didn't seem to belong +to him at all! His left leg tried to follow his right, just as it ought +to; but, instead, it slid out sidewise and knocked against Kat's +skates. Then both Kat's feet flew up; and she sat down very hard, on +the ice. And Kit came down on top of her. + +They tried to get up; but, each time they tried, their feet slid away +from them. + +"Oh dear," said Kat, "we are all mixed up! Are those your feet or mine? +I can't tell which is which!" + +"They don't any of them mind," said Kit. "I can't stand up on any of +them. I've tried them all! We'll just have to wait until Father and +Mother come back and pick us out." + +"Ice is quite cold to sit on, isn't it?" said Kat. + +Soon Father and Mother Vedder came skimming back again. When they saw +Kit and Kat, they laughed and skated to them, picked them up, and set +them on their feet. + +"Now I'll take Kit, and you take Kat," said Vrouw Vedder to her +husband, "and they'll be skating in no time." So Kat's father took her +hands, and Kit took hold of his mother's, and they started off. + +At first the Twins' feet didn't behave well at all. They seemed to want +to do everything they could to bother them. They would sprawl way +apart; then they would toe in and run into each other. + +Many times Kit and Kat would have fallen if Father and Mother Vedder +had not held them up; but before the lesson was over, both Kit and Kat +could skate a little bit alone. + +"See, this is the way," said Vrouw Vedder; and she skated around in a +circle. Then she cut a figure like this 8 in the ice. Then Father +Vedder did a figure like this S all on one foot. + +"My!" said Kit and Kat. + +"I think our parents must skate the best of all the people in the +world," said Kat. + +"I'm going to some day," said Kit. + +"So'm I," said Kat. + +After a while Vrouw Vedder said, + +"It's time to go home. Not too much the first time." So they all went +back home with their cheeks as red as roses, and their noses too, and +such an appetite for dinner! + +But the Twins were a little lame next day. + +Every day after that, Kit and Kat went out with their skates to the +ditches and tried and tried to skate as Father and Mother did--they did +so want to skate to town and see the sights before the feast of St. +Nicholas! They worked so hard that in a week they could skate very +well; and then they planned a surprise for their mother. + +"If you will watch at the window, you'll see a great sight on the canal +very soon," said Kit to his mother one day. + +Of course Vrouw Vedder hadn't the least idea what it would be! + +Kit and Kat slipped out through the stable and ran down to the ditch. +They put on their skates and skated from the ditch out to the big canal. + +Vrouw Vedder was watching at the window. Soon she saw Kit and Kat go +flying by, hand in hand, on the canal! They waved their hands to her. +Vrouw Vedder was so pleased that she went to call Father Vedder, who +was in the hay-loft over the stable. + +"Come and see Kit and Kat," she cried. + +Father Vedder came down from the loft and looked too. Then Kit cut a +figure like this, S, and Kat cut one like this, 6. The round spot is +where she sat down hard, just as she was almost around. + +When they came into the kitchen Father said, + +"I think we could take such a fine pair of skaters as that to the Vink +with us on our way to town! The ice is very hard and thick for so early +in the season, and we will go to-morrow." + +"We can see the shops too. St. Nicholas is coming, and the shops are +full of fine things," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kit and Kat could hardly wait for to-morrow to come. They polished +their skates and made everything ready. + +"What do you suppose the Vink is?" said Kat to Kit. + +"I think it is something like a church," said Kit. + +"You don't know what a Vink is, so there," said Kat. "I think it's +something to eat." + +Then Kit changed the subject. + +"I'll race you to-morrow," he said. + +"I'll beat," said Kat. + +"We'll see," said Kit. + +The next day they started, all four, quite early in the morning: Vrouw +Vedder took her basket on her arm. + +"I shall want to buy some things," she said. + +Father Vedder lighted his pipe--"To keep my nose warm," he said. + +Then they all went down to the canal and put on their skates. + +"Kat and I are going to race to the first windmill," said Kit. + +"I'll tell you when to start," said Father Vedder. + +"And I'll get a cake for the one who wins," said the mother. + +"One, two, three!" Away they flew like the wind! Father and Mother +Vedder came close behind. + +Kit was so sure he would beat that he thought he would show off a +little. He went zigzag across the canal; once or twice he stopped to +skate in curves. + +Kat didn't stop for anything. She kept her eyes on the windmill, and +she skated as hard as she could. + +They were getting quite near the mill now. Kit stopped playing and +began to skate as fast as he could. But Kat had got the start of him. + +"I'll soon get ahead of her," he thought. "She's a girl, and I'm a +boy." He struck out with great long sweeps, as long as such short legs +could make, but Kat kept ahead; and in another minute there she was at +the windmill, quite out of breath, and pointing her finger at Kit! + +"I beat, I beat," she said. + +"Well, I could have beaten if I wanted to," said Kit. + +"I'll get the cake," said Kat. + +"I don't care," said Kit. But Kat knew that he did. + +"I'll give you a piece," she said. + +Father and Mother Vedder came along then; and when Kit and Kat were +rested, they all skated for a long time without saying anything. Then +Father Vedder said proudly to his wife, + +"They keep up as well as anybody! Were there ever such Twins!" And +Mother Vedder said, + +"Never!" + +By and by other people appeared on the canal--men and women and +children, all skating. They were going to the town to see the sights +too. + +One woman skated by with her baby in her arms. One man was smoking a +long pipe, and his wife was carrying a basket of eggs. But the man and +woman were good skaters. They flew along, laughing; and no one could +get near enough to upset them. + +As they came nearer to the town, Kit and Kat saw a tent near the place +where one canal opened into another. A man stood near the tent. He put +his hands together and shouted through them to the skaters, + + "Come in, come in, and get a drink + Of warm sweet milk on your way to the Vink:" + +"We must be getting quite near the Vink," Kat said. "I do wonder what +it looks like. Do you think it's alive?" + +They passed another tent. There a man was shouting, + + "Come buy a sweet cake; it costs but a cent, + Come buy, come buy, from the man in the tent." + +Vrouw Vedder said, + +"I promised a cake to the one who beat in the race. We'll go in here +and get it." + +So they went to the tent. + +They bought two cakes, and each ate half of one. Kat broke the cakes +and gave them to the others, because she won the race. + +When they had eaten the cakes, they skated on. The canals grew more and +more crowded. There were a good many tents; flags were flying, and the +whole place was very gay. + +At last they saw a big building, with crowds of merry skaters about it. +Many people were going in and out. + +"There's the Vink," said Father Vedder. + +"Where?" said Kit and Kat. + +He pointed to the building. + +"Oh!" said Kit. He never said another word about what they had thought +it was like. + +Soon they were inside the Vink. It was a large restaurant. There were +many little tables about, crowded with people, eating and drinking. +Father Vedder found a table, and they all sat down. + +"Bring us some pea soup," he said to the waiter. Soon they were eating +the hot soup. + +"This is the best thing I ever had," said Kit. + +When they had eaten their soup; they went out of the building and +walked through the streets of the town. All the shops were filled with +pretty things. The bake shops had wonderful cakes with little candies +on top, and there were great cakes made like St. Nicholas himself in +his long robes. + +Kit and Kat flattened their noses against all the shop windows, and +looked at the toys and cakes. + +"I wish St. Nicholas would bring me that," said kit, pointing to a very +large St. Nicholas cake. + +"And I want some of those," Kat said, pointing to some cakes made in +the shapes of birds and fish. + +Vrouw Vedder had gone with her basket on an errand. Father Vedder and +Kit and Kat walked slowly along, waiting for her. Soon there was a +great noise up the street. There were shouts, and the clatter of wooden +shoes. + +"Look! Look!" cried Kit. + +There, in the midst of the crowd, was a great white horse; and riding +on it was the good St. Nicholas himself! He had a long white beard and +red cheeks, and long robes, with a mitre on his head; and he smiled at +the children, who crowded around him and followed him in a noisy +procession down the street. + +Behind St. Nicholas came a cart, filled with packages of all sizes. The +children were all shouting at once, "Give me a cake, good St. +Nicholas!" or, "Give me a new pair of shoes!" or whatever each one +wanted most. + +"Where is he going?" asked Kit and Kat. + +"He's carrying presents to houses where there are good girls and boys," +Father Vedder said. "For bad children, there is only a rod in the shoe." + +"I'm glad we're so good," said Kit. + +"When will he come to our house?" asked Kat. + +"Not until to-morrow," said Father Vedder. "But you must fill your +wooden shoes with beans or hay for his good horse, to-night; and then +perhaps he will come down the chimney and leave something in them. It's +worth trying." + +Kit and Kat were in a hurry to get home, for fear the Saint would get +there first. + +It was growing late, so they all went to a waffle shop for their supper. + +In the shop a woman sat before an open fire. On the fire was a big +waffle iron. She made the waffles, put sugar and butter on them, and +passed a plate of them to each one. Oh, how good they were! + +When they had eaten their waffles, Father and Mother Vedder and the +Twins went back to the canal and put on their skates. It was late in +the afternoon. They took hold of hands and began to skate toward home, +four in a row. Father and Mother Vedder were on the outside, and the +Twins in the middle. + +It was dark when they reached home. Vrouw Vedder lighted the fire, +while Father Vedder went to feed the cow and see that the chickens and +ducks and geese were all safe for the night. + +Kit and Kat ran for their wooden shoes. They each took one and put some +hay in it. This was for St. Nicholas to give to his horse. Father +Vedder put the shoes on the mantel. Then they hurried to bed to make +morning come quicker. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat up late that night. Mother Vedder said it +was to prepare the goose for dinner the next day. + +When the Twins woke the next morning, the fire was already roaring up +the chimney, and the kitchen was warm as toast. They hopped out of bed +and ran for their wooden shoes. Mother Vedder reached up to the mantel +shelf for them. Truly, the hay was gone and there in each shoe was a +package done up in paper! + +"Oh, he did come! He did come!" cried Kat. "O Mother, you're sure you +didn't build the fire before he had got out of the chimney?" + +"I'm sure," said Vrouw Vedder. "I've made the fire on many a St. +Nicholas morning, and I've never burned him yet!" + +The Twins climbed up the steps to their cupboard bed and sat on the +edge of it to open their packages. In Kit's was a big St. Nicholas +cake, like the one in the shop window! And in Kat's were three cakes +like birds, and two like fish! + +"Just what we wanted!" said Kit and Kat. "Do you suppose he heard us +say so?" + +"St. Nicholas can hear what people think," said Vrouw Vedder. "He is +coming to see you to-night at six o'clock, and you must be ready to +sing him a little song and answer any questions he asks you." + +"How glad I am that we are so good!" said Kat. + +"We'll see what the Saint thinks about that," said the mother. "Now get +dressed; for Grandfather and Grandmother will be here for dinner, and +we're going to have roast goose, and there's a great deal to do." + +Kit and Kat set their beautiful cakes up where they could see them +while they dressed. + +"I do wish every day were St. Nicholas Day," said Kit. + +"Or the day before," said Kat. "That was such a nice day!" + +"All the days are nice days, I think," said Kit. + +"I don't think the dog-cart day was so very nice," said Kat. "We tore +our best clothes, and they'll never, never be so nice again. That was +because you didn't mind!" + +"Well," said Kit, "I minded as much as I could. How can I mind two +things at one time? You know how well I can think! You know how I +thought about Vrouw Van der Kloot's cakes. But I can't think how I can +mind twice at one time." + +"I don't suppose you can," said Kat. "But anyway, I'm sorry about my +dress." + +Just then Vrouw Vedder called them to come and eat their breakfast. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat down at the little round table and bowed +their heads. Kit and Kat stood up. Father Vedder said grace; and then +they ate their salt herring and drank their coffee; and Kit and Kat had +coffee too, because it was St. Nicholas morning. + +It was snowing when, after breakfast, Kit went out with his father to +feed the chickens and the pigs, and to see that the cow had something +very good that she liked to eat. When they had done that, they called +Kat; and she helped throw out some grain on the white snow, so the +birds could have a feast, too. + +It snowed all day. Kit and Kat both helped their mother get the dinner. +They got the cabbage and the onions and the potatoes ready; and when +the goose was hung upon the fire to roast, they watched it and kept it +spinning around on the spit, so it would brown evenly. + +By and by the kitchen was all in order, and you can't think how clean +and homelike it looked! The brasses all around the room had little +flames dancing in them, because they were so bright and shiny. +Everything was ready for the St. Nicholas feast. The goose was nearly +roasted, and there was such a good smell of it in the air! + +After a while there was a great stamping of feet at the door; and Vrouw +Vedder ran with the broom to brush the snow off Grandfather and +Grandmother, who had skated all the way from town, on the canal. When +they were warmed and dried, and all their wraps put away, Grandfather +and Grandmother Winkle looked around the pleasant kitchen; and +Grandmother said to Grandfather, + +"Our Neltje is certainly a good house-wife." Neltje was Vrouw Vedder. +And Grandfather said, + +"There's only one better one, my dear." He meant Grandmother Winkle. + +By and by they all sat down to dinner, and I can't begin to tell you +how good it was! It makes one hungry just to think of it. They had +roast goose and onions and turnips and cabbage. They had bread and +butter, and cheese, and sweet cakes. + +"Everything except the flour in the bread, we raised ourselves," said +Vrouw Vedder. "The hens gave us the eggs; and the cow, the butter. The +Twins helped Father and me to take care of the chickens, and to milk +the cow, and to make the butter; so it is our very own St. Nicholas +feast that we are eating." + +"A farmer's life is the best life there is," said Father Vedder. + +They sat a long time at the table; and Grandfather told stories about +when he was a boy; and Father Vedder told how Kit and Kat learned to +skate; and Kit and Kat told how they saw St. Nicholas riding on a white +horse, and how he sent them the very things they wanted; and they all +enjoyed themselves very much. + +After dinner, Grandmother Winkle sat down in the chimney corner and +called Kit and Kat. + +"Come here," she said, "and I'll tell you some stories about St. +Nicholas." + +The Twins brought two little stools and sat beside her, one on each +side. She took out her knitting; and as the needles clicked in her +fingers, she told this story: + +"Once upon a time, many years ago, three little brothers went out one +day to the woods to gather fagots. They were just about as big as you +are, Kit and Kat." + +"Were they all three, twins?" asked Kat. + +"The story doesn't tell about that," said Grandmother Winkle; "but +maybe they were. At any rate, they all got lost in the woods and +wandered ever so far, trying to find their way home. But instead of +finding their way home, they just got more and more lost all the time. +They were very tired and hungry; but, as they were brave boys, not one +of them cried." + +"It's lucky that none of those twins were girls," said Kit. + +"I've even heard of boy twins that cried, when dog carts ran away, or +something of that kind happened," said Grandmother Winkle. "But you +shouldn't interrupt; it's not polite." + +"Oh!" said Kit very meekly. + +"Well, as I was saying, they were very lost indeed. Night was coming +on; and they were just thinking that they must lie down on the ground +to sleep, when one of them saw a light shining through the leaves. He +pointed it out to the others; and they walked along toward it, +stumbling over roots and stones as they went, for it was now quite dark. + +"As they came nearer, they saw that the light came from the window of a +poor little hut on the edge of a clearing. + +"They went to the door and knocked. The door was opened by a dirty old +woman, who lived in the hut with her husband, who was a farmer. + +"The boys told the old woman that they had lost their way, and asked +her if she could give them a place to sleep. She spoke to her husband, +who sat crouched over a little fire in the corner; and he told her to +give them a bed in the loft. + +"The three boys climbed the little ladder into the loft and lay down on +the hay. They were so tired that they fell asleep at once. The old man +and his wife whispered about them over their bit of fire. + +"'They are fine-looking boys; and well dressed,' said the old woman. + +"'Yes,' said the old man, 'and I have no doubt they have plenty of +money about them.' + +"'Do you really think so?' said the wife. + +"'I think I'll find out,' said the wicked farmer. So he climbed up to +the loft and killed the three boys. Then he looked in their pockets for +money; but there was no money there. + +"He was very angry. And he was very much afraid, wicked people are +always afraid." + +"Are all afraid people wicked?" asked Kat. She wished very much that +she were brave. + +"M-m-m, well, not always," said Grandmother Winkle. + +"The wicked farmer was so afraid that he wanted to put the bodies of +the three boys where no one would find them. So he carried them down +cellar and put them into the pickle tub with his pork." + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" screamed Kat, and she put her hands over her ears. Even +Kit's eyes were very round and big. But Grandmother said, + +"Now, don't you be scared until I get to the end of the story. Didn't I +tell you it was all about St. Nicholas? You wait and see what happened! + +"That very same day the wicked farmer went to market with some +vegetables to sell. As he was sitting in the market, St. Nicholas +appeared, before him. He had on his mitre and his long robes, just as +you see him in Kit's cake. + +"Have you any pork to sell?" St. Nicholas asked the man. + +"No," said the farmer. + +"What of the three young pigs in your brine tub in the cellar?" said +St. Nicholas. + +The farmer saw that his wicked deed was found out, as all wicked deeds +are, sooner or later. He fell on his knees and begged the good Saint to +forgive him. + +St. Nicholas said, "Show me the way to your house." + +The farmer left his vegetables unsold in the market and went home at +once, the Saint following all the way. + +When they reached the hut, St. Nicholas went to the pickled-pork tub in +the cellar. He waved his staff over the tub, and out jumped the three +boys, hearty and well! Then the good Saint took them through the woods +and left them in sight of their own home. + +"Oh, what a good St. Nicholas!" said Kit and Kat. "Tell us another." + +"Well," said Grandmother Winkle, "once upon another time there was a +very mean man, who had a great deal of money, that often happens. He +had, also, three beautiful daughters, that sometimes happens too." + +"One day he lost all his money. Now, he cared more for money than for +anything else in the world more, even, than for his three beautiful +daughters. So he made up his mind to sell them!" + +"St. Nicholas knew of this wicked plan; so that very night he went to +the man's house and dropped some money through a broken window." + +"Why did he do that?" asked Kat. + +Because the man was selling his daughters to get money. If he had money +enough, he wouldn't sell them. + +The first night St. Nicholas dropped enough money to pay for the eldest +daughter. The next night he took a purse of gold for the second +daughter, and dropped it down the chimney. It fell down right in front +of the man, as he was getting a coal to light his pipe. The third night +the man watched; and when St. Nicholas came, the door flew open, and +the man ran out. He caught St. Nicholas by his long robe and held him. + +"O St. Nicholas, Servant of the Lord," he said, "why dost thou hide thy +good deeds?" + +And from that time on, every one has known it is St. Nicholas who +brings gifts in the night and drops them down the chimney. + +"Did the man sell his daughter?" asked Kat. + +"No," said Grandmother. "He was so ashamed of himself that he wasn't +wicked any more." + +"Does St. Nicholas give everybody presents so they will be good?" asked +Kat. + +"Yes," said Grandmother; "that's why bad children get only a rod in +their shoes." + +"He gave the bad man nice presents to make him good," said Kit. "Why +doesn't he give bad children nice things to make them good too?" + +Grandmother Winkle knitted for a minute without speaking. Then she said, + +"I guess he thinks that the rod is the present that will make them good +in the shortest time." + +The clock had been ticking steadily along while Grandmother had been +telling stories, and it was now late in the afternoon. The sky was all +red in the west; there were long, long shadows across the snowy fields, +and the corners of the kitchen were quite dark. + +"It's almost time to expect him, now," said Vrouw Vedder; and she +brought out a sheet and spread it in the middle of the kitchen floor. +She stirred up the fire, and the room was filled with the pleasant glow +from the flames. + +Kit and Kat sat on their little stools. Their eyes were very big. At +five minutes of six, Vrouw Vedder said, + +"He will be here in just a few minutes, now. Get up, Kit and Kat, and +sing your song!" + +The Twins stood up on the edge of the sheet and began to sing: + + "St. Nicholas, good, holy man, + Put on your best gown; + Ride with it to Amsterdam, + From Amsterdam to Spain." + +While they were singing, there was a sound at the door, of some one +feeling for the latch. Then the door flew open, and a great shower of +sweet cakes and candies fell onto the sheet, all around Kit and Kat! +There in the doorway stood St. Nicholas himself, smiling and shaking +off the snow! His horse was stamping outside. Kit and Kat could hear it. + +They stopped singing and hardly breathed, they stood so still. They +looked at St. Nicholas with big, big eyes. In one hand St. Nicholas +carried two large packages; in the other, a birch rod. + +"Are there any good children here?" said St. Nicholas. + +"Pretty good, if you please, dear St. Nicholas," said Kit in a very +small voice. + +"Children who always mind their mothers and fathers and grandfathers +and grandmothers?" said St. Nicholas, "and who do not quarrel?" + +Kat couldn't say anything at all, though the Saint looked right at her! +Vrouw Vedder spoke. + +"I think, dear St. Nicholas, they are very good children," she said. + +"Then I will leave these for them and carry the rod along to some bad +little boy and girl, if I find one," said St. Nicholas. "There seem to +be very few about here. I haven't left a single rod yet." And he handed +one big package to Kit, and another to Kat. + +"Thank you," said Kit and Kat. + +St. Nicholas smiled at them and waved his hand. Then the door shut, and +he was gone! + +Kit and Kat dropped on their knees to pick up the cakes and candies. +They passed the cakes and candies around to each one. Vrouw Vedder +lighted the candles, and then they all gathered around to see Kit and +Kat open their bundles. + +"You open yours first," said Vrouw Vedder to Kat. + +Kat was so excited that she could hardly untie the string. When she got +the bundle open, there was a beautiful new Sunday dress much prettier +than the torn one had ever been! Oh, how pleased Kat was! She hugged +her mother and her grandmother and her father and her grandfather. + +"I just wish I could hug dear St. Nicholas, too," she said. + +Then Kit opened his bundle; and there was a beautiful new velveteen +suit, with his very own silver buttons on it! It had pockets in it! He +put his hand in one pocket. It had a penny in it! Then he put his hand +in the other pocket. There was another penny! + +"I'm going to see if there's a pocket in mine," said Kat. + +She hunted and hunted and hunted. By and by she found a pocket. And +sure enough, there was a penny in that too! + +Then some presents came from somewhere for Father and Mother Vedder and +for Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle; and such a time as they all +had, opening the bundles and showing their presents! + +Then Mother Vedder tried on Kit's suit and Kat's dress, to see if they +were the right size. They were just right exactly. + +"St. Nicholas even knows how big we are," said Kat. + +"Oh, I wish St. Nicholas Day would last a week," said Kit. + +"That reminds me," said Vrouw Vedder, and she looked at the clock. +"Half-past ten, and these children still up! Bless my heart, this will +never do! Come here, Kit and Kat, and let me undo your buttons!" + +"May we take our new clothes to bed with us?" Kat asked. + +"Yes, just this once," said Mother Vedder, "because this is St. +Nicholas night." + +They kissed their Grandfather and Grandmother good-night, and their +Mother and Father, and said their prayers like good children; and then +they climbed up into their little cupboard bed, and Vrouw Vedder drew +the curtains, so they would go to sleep sooner. + +"Good-night, dear little Twins," she said. + +And so say we. + + + + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS + + +This book is the first of a series of stories for supplementary reading +the purpose of which is to give children a correct idea of life in +different countries, both in the spirit and atmosphere of the story, +and in the actual descriptions. These books will also further a spirit +of friendliness and good will for children of other nationalities. +Respect for and an understanding of the life and customs of other +races, are not only educationally valuable, but are fundamentally +important in this "crucible of nations," where different races are +fusing themselves together as never before in the history of the world. +Tradition is a precious heritage, and the traditions of other nations +should be the natural inheritance of the American child, since here as +nowhere else all the nations of the earth are entering into our +national life. + +The author has recognized from the start that the purpose of a book of +this kind would fail of realization if the narrative does not appeal +strongly to children. The delight with which the book has been received +by children is evidence that the important element of interest has not +been left out of the narrative. + +To make the reading of this story most valuable as a school exercise, +it is suggested that children be allowed at the outset to turn the +pages of the book in order to get glimpses of "Kit" and "Kat," in the +various scenes in which they are portrayed, in the illustrations, thus +arousing their interest. With a globe, or a map of the world, point out +Holland, and tell the children something about the unique character of +the country. + +The text is so simply written that any third or fourth grade child can +read it without much preparation. In the third grade it may be well to +have the children read it first in the study period in order to work +out the pronunciation of the more difficult words. In the fourth grade +the children can usually read it at sight, without the preparatory +study. + +In connection with the reading of the book, have children read +selections from their readers and other books about Holland and its +people. The legend of "The Hole in the Dike" is an illustration of this +kind of collateral reading. Let children also bring to class postcards +and other pictures illustrating scenes in Holland. + +The unique illustrations in the book should be much used, both in the +reading of the story and in other ways. Children will enjoy sketching +some of the pictures; their simple treatment makes them especially +useful for this purpose. An excellent oral language exercise would be +for the children, after they have read the story, to take turns telling +the story from the pictures; and a good composition exercise would be +for each child to select the picture that he would like to write upon, +make a sketch of it, and write the story in his own words. + +These are only a few of the number of ways that will occur to +resourceful teachers of making the book a valuable as well as an +interesting exercise in reading. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DUTCH TWINS *** + +***** This file should be named 4012.txt or 4012.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/4012/ + +Produced by Lynn Hill. Dedicated to Luana Rodriquez. 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Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + + +Produced for Project Gutenberg by Lynn Hill <hill_lynn@hotmail.com> +This PG project is dedicated to Luana Rodriquez, who proofreads +my projects and loves the "Twins" stories. + + + + + + + + +This book belongs to +Lawrence and other children + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + +By Lucy Fitch Perkins + +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR + + + + + + +Geographical Series + +THE DUTCH TWINS PRIMER. Grade I. +THE DUTCH TWINS. Grade III. +THE ESKIMO TWINS. Grade II. +THE JAPANESE TWINS. Grade IV. +THE SWISS TWINS. Grade IV. +THE IRISH TWINS. Grade V. +THE ITALIAN TWINS. Grades V and VI. +THE SCOTCH TWINS. Grades V and VI. +THE MEXICAN TWINS. Grade VI. +THE BELGIAN TWINS. Grade VI. +THE FRENCH TWINS. Grade VII. + +Historical Series + +THE CAVE TWINS. Grade IV. +THE SPARTAN TWINS. Grades V-VI. +THE PURITAN TWINS. Grades VI-VII. + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +INTRODUCTION - KIT AND KAT + +I. THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING +II. MARKET DAY WITH FATHER +III. MOTHER'S DAY. +IV. ONE SUNDAY +V. THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART +VI. THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + +KIT AND KAT + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat. They are Twins, and they live +in Holland. Kit is the boy, and Kat is the girl. + +Of course their real names are not Kit and Kat at all. Their real +names are Christopher and Katrina. But you can see for yourself +that such long names as that would never in the world fit such a +short pair of Twins. So the Twins' Mother, Vrouw Vedder, said, + +"They cannot be called Christopher and Katrina until they are +four and a half feet high." + +Now it takes a long time to grow four and a half feet of Boy and +Girl. You know, chickens and puppies and colts and kittens always +grow up much faster than twins. Kit and Kat ate a great many +breakfasts and dinners and suppers, and played a great many +plays, and had a great many happy days while they were growing up +to their names. I will tell you about some of them. + + + +I. THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING + +One summer morning, very early, Vrouw Vedder opened the door of +her little Dutch kitchen and stepped out. + +She looked across the road which ran by the house, across the +canal on the other side, across the level green fields that lay +beyond, clear to the blue rim of the world, where the sky touches +the earth. The sky was very blue; and the great, round, shining +face of the sun was just peering over the tops of the trees, as +she looked out. + +Vrouw Vedder listened. The roosters in the barnyard were crowing, +the ducks in the canal were quacking, and all the little birds in +the fields were singing for joy. Vrouw Vedder hummed a slow +little tune of her own, as she went back into +her kitchen. + +Kit and Kat were still asleep in their little cupboard bed. She +gave them each a kiss. The Twins opened their eyes and sat up. + +"O Kit and Kat," said Vrouw Vedder, "the sun is up, the birds are +all awake. and singing, and Grandfather is going fishing to-day. +If you will hurry, you may go with him! He is coming at six +o'clock; so pop out of bed and get dressed. I will put some lunch +for you in the yellow basket, and you may dig worms for bait in +the garden. Only be sure not to step on the young cabbages that +Father planted." + +Kit and Kat bounced out of bed in a minute. Their mother helped +them put on their clothes and new wooden shoes. Then she gave +them each a bowl of bread and milk for their breakfast. They ate +it sitting on the kitchen doorstep. + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat digging worms. You see they did +just as their mother said, and did not step on the young +cabbages. They sat on them, instead. But that was an accident. + +Kit dug the worms, and Kat put them into a basket, with some +earth in it to make them feel at home. + +When Grandfather came, he brought a large fishing-rod for himself +and two little ones for the Twins. There was a little hook on the +end of each line. + +Vrouw Vedder kissed Kit and Kat goodbye. + +"Mind Grandfather, and don't fall into the water," she said. + +Grandfather and the Twins started off together down the long road +beside the canal. + +The house where the Twins lived was right beside the canal. Their +father was a gardener, and his beautiful rows of cabbages and +beets and onions stretched in long lines across the level fields +by the roadside. + +Grandfather lived in a large town, a little way beyond the farm +where the Twins lived. He did not often have a holiday, because +he carried milk to the doors of the people in the town, every +morning early. Sometime I will tell you how he did it; but I must +not tell you now, because if I do, I can't tell you about their +going fishing. + +This morning, Grandfather carried his rod and the lunch-basket. +Kit and Kat carried the basket of worms between them, and their +rods over their shoulders, and they were all three very happy. + +They walked along ever so far, beside the canal. Then they turned +to the left and walked along a path that ran from the canal +across the green fields to what looked like a hill. + +But it wasn't a hill at all, really, because there aren't any +hills in Holland. It was a long, long wall of earth, very high-- +oh, as high as a house, or even higher! And it had sloping +sides. + +There is such a wall of earth all around the country of Holland, +where the Twins live. There has to be a wall, because the sea is +higher than the land. If there were no walls to shut out the sea, +the whole country would be covered with water; and if that were +so, then there wouldn't be any Holland, or any Holland Twins, or +any story. So you see it was very lucky for the Twins that the +wall was there. They called it a dyke. + +Grandfather and Kit and Kat climbed the dyke. When they reached +the top, they sat down a few minutes to rest and look at the +great blue sea. Grandfather sat in the middle, With Kit on one +side, and Kat on the other; and the basket of worms and the +basket of lunch were there, too. + +They saw a great ship sail slowly by, making a cloud of smoke. + +"Where do the ships go, Grandfather?" asked Kit. + +"To America, and England, and China, and all over the world," +said Grandfather. + +"Why?" asked Kat. Kat almost always said "Why?" and when she +didn't, Kit did. + +"To take flax and linen from the mills of Holland to make dresses +for little girls in other countries," said Grandfather. + +"Is that all?" asked Kit. + +"They take cheese and herring, bulbs and butter, and lots of +other things besides, and bring back to us wheat and meat and all +sorts of good things from the lands across the sea." + +"I think I'll be a sea captain when I'm big," said Kit. + +"So will I," said Kat. + +"Girls can't," said Kit. + +But Grandfather shook his head and said: + +"You can't tell what a girl may be by the time she's four feet +and a half high and is called Katrina. There's no telling what +girls will do anyway. But, children, if we stay here we shall not +catch any fish." + +So they went down the other side of the dyke and cut onto a +little pier that ran from the sandy beach into the water. + +Grandfather showed them how to bait their hooker. Kit baited +Kat's for her, because Kat said it made her all wriggly inside to +do it. She did not like it. Neither did the worm! + +They all sat down on the end of the pier, Grandfather sat on the +very end and let his wooden shoes hang down over the water; but +he made Kit and Kat sit with their feet stuck straight out in +front of them, so they just reached to the edge, "So you can't +fall in," said Grandfather. + +They dropped their hooks into the water and sat very still, +waiting for a bite. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, +and it grew hotter and hotter on the pier. The flies tickled +Kat's nose and made her sneeze. + +"Keep still, can't you?" said Kit crossly. "You'll scare the +fish. Girls don't know how to fish, anyway." + +Pretty soon Kat felt a queer little jerk on her line. She was +perfectly sure she did. + +Kat squealed and jerked her rod. She jerked it so hard that one +foot flew right up in the air, and one of her new wooden shoes +went--splash--right into the water! + +But that wasn't the worst of it! Before you could say Jack +Robinson, Kat's hook flew around and caught in Kit's clothes and +pricked him. + +Kit jumped and said "Ow!" And then--no one could ever tell how it +happened--there was Kit in the water, too, splashing like a young +whale, with Kat's hook still holding fast to his clothes in the +back! + +Grandfather jumped then, too, you may be sure. He caught hold of +Kat's rod and pulled hard and called out, "Steady there, steady!" + +And in one minute there was Kit in the shallow water beside the +pier, puffing and blowing like a grampus! + +Grandfather reached down and pulled him up. + +When Kit was safely on the pier, Kat threw her arms around his +neck, though the water was running down in streams from his hair +and eyes and ears. + +"O Kit," she said, "I truly thought it was a fish on my line when +I jumped!" + +"Just like a g-g-girl," said Kit. "They don't know how to f-f- +fish." You see his teeth were chattering, because the water was +cold. + +"Well, anyway," said Kat, "I caught more than you did. I caught +you!" + +Then Kat thought of something else She shook her finger at Kit. + +"O Kit," she said, "Mother told you not to fall into the water!" + +"'T-t-twas all your fault," roared Kit. "Y-y-you began it! +Anyway, where is your new wooden shoe?" + +"Where are both of yours?" screamed Kat. + +Sure enough, where were they? No one had thought about shoes, +because they were thinking so hard about Kit. + +They ran to the end of the pier and looked. There was Kat's shoe +sailing away toward America like a little boat! Kit's were still +bobbing about in the water near the pier. + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" shrieked Kat; but the tide was going out and +carrying her shoe farther away every minute. They could not get +it; but Grandfather reached down with his rod and fished out both +of Kit's shoes Then Kat took off her other one and her stockings, +and they all three went back to the beach. + +Grandfather and Kat covered Kit up with sand to keep him warm +while his clothes were drying. Then Grandfather stuck the Twins' +fish-poles up in the sand and tied the lines together for a +clothes-line, and hung Kit's clothes up on it, and Kat put their +three wooden shoes in a row beside Kit. + +Then they ate their luncheon of bread and butter, cheese, and +milk, with some radishes from Father's garden. It tasted very +good, even if it was sandy. After lunch Grandfather said, "It +will never do to go home without any fish at all." + +So by and by he went back to the pier and caught one while the +Twins played in the sand. He put it in the lunch-basket to carry +home. + +Kat brought shells and pebbles to Kit, because he had to stay +covered up in the sand, and Kit built a play dyke all around. +himself with them, and Kat dug a canal outside the dyke. Then she +made sand-pies in clam-shells and set them in a row in the sun to +bake. + +They played until the shadow of the dyke grew very long across +the sandy beach, and then Grandfather said it was time to go +home. + +He helped Kit dress, but Kit's clothes were still a little wet in +the thick parts. And Kat had to go barefooted and carry her one +wooden shoe. + +They climbed the dyke and crossed the fields, and walked along +the road by the canal. The road shone, like a strip of yellow +ribbon across the green field. They walked quite slowly, for they +were tired and sleepy. + +By and by Kit said, "I see our house"; and Kat said, "I see +Mother at the gate." + +Grandfather gave the fish he caught to Kit and Kat, and Vrouw +Vedder cooked it for their supper; and though it was not a very +big fish, they all had some. + +Grandfather must have told Vrouw Vedder something about what had +happened; for that night, when she put Kit to bed, she felt of +his clothes carefully--but she didn't say a word about their +being damp. And she said to Kat: "To-morrow we will see the +shoemaker and have him make you another shoe." + +Then Kit and Kat hugged her and said good-night, and popped off +to sleep before you could wink your eyes. + + + +II + +MARKET DAY WITH FATHER + +One afternoon Kit and Kat were playing around the kitchen +doorstep, while their Mother sat on a bench by the door, peeling +some onions for supper. It was not yet supper-time, but Vrouw +Vedder was always ahead of the clock with the work. + +Kit and Kat had a pan of water and were teaching their ducklings +to swim. They each had one little fat duckling of their very own. +The ducklings squawked when Kit lifted them over the edge of the +pan into the water. + +"Don't do that, Kit," said Kat. "The ducklings don't like it. You +didn't like it when you fell into the water, did you?" + +"But I'm not a duck," said Kit. + +"Well, anyway, they're tired and want to go to their mother," +said Kat. "Let's do something else! I'll tell you what! Let's go +out to the garden and help Father get the boat loaded for +market." + +"All right," said Kit. "May we, Mother?" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "and you may ask Father if he will take +you to market with him to-morrow if it's fair. Tell him I said +you could ask." + +"Oh, goody, goody!" said Kit and Kat, both at once; and they ran +as fast as their wooden shoes would take them out into the +garden. + +They found their father cutting cabbages and gathering them into +piles. He was stopping to light his pipe, when they reached him. + +"O Father!" said Kit and Kat both together. "May we go on the +boat to market with you to-morrow morning? Mother said we might +ask!" + +Father Vedder blew two puffs from his pipe without answering. + +"We'll help you load the boat," said Kit. + +"Yes," said Kat, "I can carry a cabbage." + +"I can carry two," said Kit. "We'll both be good," said Kat. + +"Very well," said Father, at last. "We'll see how you work! And +to-morrow morning, if it's fair, I'll see! But you must go to bed +early to-night, because you'll have to get up very early in the +morning, if you go with me! Now you each take a cabbage and run +along." + +Father Vedder went back to his work. + +Kit and Kat ran to the cabbage-pile. Kat took one, and Kit took +two--just to show that he could. + +"When Father says 'I'll see,' he always means 'yes,'" Kat said to +Kit. + +Perhaps it seems queer to you that they should go to market in a +boat, but it didn't seem queer at all to the Twins. + +Your see, in Holland there are a great many canals. They cross +the fields like roadways of water, and that is what they really +are. Little canals open into big ones, and big ones go clear to +the sea. + +It is very easy for farmers to load their vegetables for market +right on a boat. They can pull the boat out into the big canal, +and then away they go to sell their produce in the town. + +The canals flow through the towns, too, and make water streets, +where boats go up and down as carriages go here. + +The Twins and their father worked like beavers, washing the +vegetables and packing them in baskets, until their good old boat +was filled with cabbages and onions and beets and carrots and all +sorts of good things to eat. + +By that time it was nearly dark, and they were all three very +hungry; so they went home. + +They found that Mother Vedder had made buttermilk porridge for +supper. The Twins loved buttermilk porridge. They each ate three +bowls of it, and then their mother put them to bed. + +This is a picture of the bed! It opened like a cupboard right +into the kitchen, and it was like going to bed on a shelf in the +pantry. + +The very next thing the Twins knew, it was morning, and there was +Vrouw Vedder calling to them. + +"It's market day, and the sun is almost up. Come Kit and Kat, if +you want to go with Father," she said. + +The Twins bounced out like two rubber balls. They ate some +breakfast and then ran to the boat. + +Father was there before them. He helped them into the boat and +put them both on one seat, and told them to sit still. Then he +got in and took the pole and pushed off. + +Vrouw Vedder stood on the canal bank to see them pass. + +"Be good children; mind Father, and don't get lost," she called +after them. + +Kit and Kat were very busy all the way to town, looking at the +things to be seen on each side of the canal. + +It was so early in the morning that the grass was all shiny with +dew. Black and white cows were eating the rich green grass, and a +few laborers were already in the fields. + +They passed little groups of farm buildings, their red-tiled +roofs shining in the morning sun; and the windmills threw long, +long shadows across the fields. + +The blue blossoms of the flax nodded to them from the canal bank; +and once, they saw a stork fly over a mossy green roof, to her +nest on the chimney, with a frog in her mouth. + +They went under bridges and by little canals that opened into the +main canal. They passed so close to some of the houses that Kit +and Kat could see the white curtains blowing in the windows, and +the pots of red geraniums standing on the sill. In one house the +family waved their hands to Kit and Kat from the breakfast table, +and a little farther on they passed a woman who was washing +clothes in the canal. Other boats filled with vegetables and +flowers of all colors passed them. And they were going to market +too. Only no other boat had twins in it. + +"Good day, neighbor Vedder," one man called out. "Are you taking +a pair of fat pigs to market?" + +By and by they came to the town. There were a great many boats in +the canal here, and people calling back and forth to each other +from them. + +Kit and Kat saw a boat that the Captain's family lived in. It was +like a floating house. + +The Twins thought it must be grand to live on a boat like that, +just going about from town to town, seeing new sights every day. + +"We should never have to go to school at all," said Kit. + +They wished their own boat were big enough to move about in; but +Father told them they must sit very, very still all the time. + +There were houses on each side of the canal, in the town, and +people were clattering along over the pavement in their wooden +shoes. + +The market-place was an open square in the middle of the town. It +had little booths and stalls all about it. The farmers brought +their fresh vegetables and flowers, or whatever they had to sell, +into these stalls, and then sat there waiting for customers. + +Kit and Kat helped their father to unload the boat. Then they sat +down on a box, and Father gave them each some bread and cheese to +eat; for they were hungry again. They put the cheese between +slices of bread and took bites, while they looked about. + +Soon there were a good many people in the square. Most of them +were women with market baskets on their arms. They went to the +different stalls to see what they would buy for dinner. + +A large woman with a big basket on her arm came along to the +stall where Kit and Kat were sitting. + +"Bless my heart!" she said. "Are you twins?" + +"Yes, Ma'am," said Kit and Kat. And Kat said, "We're five years +old." + +"O my soul!" said the large woman. "So you are! What are your +names?" + +"Christopher aid Katrina, but they call us Kit and Kat for +short." It was Kat who said this. And Kit said, + +"When we are four feet and a half high, we are going to be called +Christopher and Katrina." + +"Well, well, well!" said the large woman. "So you are! Now my +name is Vrouw Van der Kloot. Are you helping Father?" + +"Yes," said the Twins. "We're going to help him sell things." + +"Then you may sell me a cabbage and ten onions," said Vrouw Van +der Kloot. + +Father Vedder's eyes twinkled, and he lit his pipe. Kit got a +cabbage for the Vrouw. + +"You can get the ten onions," he said to Kat. You see, really Kit +couldn't count ten and be sure of it. So he asked Kat to do it. + +Kat wasn't afraid. She took out a little pile of onions in a +measure, and said to Vrouw Van der Kloot, + +"Is that ten?" + +Then Vrouw Van der Kloot counted them with Kat, very carefully. +There were eleven, and so she gave back one. Theca she gave Kat +the money for the onions, and Kit the money for the cabbage. + +Father Vedder said, "Now Kit and Kat, by and by, when you get +hungry again, you can go over to Vrouw Van der Kloot's stall and +buy something from her. She keeps the sweetie shop." + +"Oh! Oh!" cried Kit and Kat. "We're hungry yet! Can't we go now?" + +"No, not now," said Father. "We must do some work first." + +The Twins helped Father Vedder a long time. They learned to count +ten and to do several other things. Then their father gave them +the money for the cabbage and the ten onions they had sold to +Vrouw Van der Kloot, and said, + +"You may walk around the market and look in all the stalls, and +buy the thing you like best that costs just two cents. Then come +back here to me." + +Kit and Kat set forth on their travels, to see the world. They +each held the money tightly shut in one hand, and with the other +hand they held on to each other. + +"The world is very large," said Kit and Kat. + +They saw all sorts of strange things in the market. There were +tables piled high with flowers. There was a stall full of birds +in cages, singing away with all their might. One cage had five +little birds in it, sitting in a row. + +"O Kit," cried Kat, "let's buy the birds!" + +They asked the woman if the birds cost two cents, and she said, + +"No, my angels; they cost fifty cents." + +You see, now that the Twins could count ten, they knew they +couldn't get the birds for two cents when they cost fifty. So +they went to the next place. + +There, there were chickens and ducks for sale. But the Twins had +plenty of those at home. There were stalls and stalls of +vegetables just like Father's, and there were booths where meat +and fish and wood and peat were sold. But the Twins couldn't find +anything they wanted that cost exactly two cents. + +At last, what should they see but Vrouw Van der Kloot's fat face +smiling at them from a stall just full of cakes and cookies and +bread, and chocolate, and honey cakes, and goodies of all kinds. + +The Twins held up their money. + +There on the counter was a whole row of St. Nicholas dolls with +currant eyes, and they knew at once that there was nothing else +in all the market they should like so much! + +"Do these cost two cents apiece, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot?" asked +Kat. + +"No," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; "they cost one cent apiece." + +The Twins were discouraged. + +"I don't believe there's a single thing in this whole market that +costs just two cents," said Kat. + +"Keep still!" said Kit. "Let me think." + +They sat down on the curb. Kat kept still, and Kit took hold of +his head with both hands and thought hard. He thought so hard +that he scowled all over his forehead! + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," he said at last. "If those St. +Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece, I _think_ we could get two +of them for two cents." + +"O Kit," said Kat, "how splendidly you can think! Does it hurt +you much? Let's ask Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +They went back to the good Vrouw, who was selling some coffee +bread to a woman with a basket. + +"O Vrouw Van der Kloot," said Kat, "Kit says that if those St. +Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece, he _thinks_ we could get two +for two cents. Do you think so?" + +"Of course you can," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; and she winked at +the lady with the bread. + +"But you've got two cents, and I've got two," said Kat to Kit. +"If you should get two Nicholas dolls, why, I should have my two +cents left; shouldn't I? Oh! dear, it won't come out right +anyway!" + +"Let me think some more," said Kit; and when he had thought some +more, he said, + +"I'll tell you what let's! You get two with your two cents, and +I'll get two with mine! And I'll give my other one to Mother and +you can give your other one to Father!" + +"That's just what we'll do," said Kat. + +They went back to Vrouw Van der Kloot. + +"We'll take _four_ dolls," said Kat. + +"Well, well, well!" said the Vrouw. "So you've figured it all +out, have you?" And she counted out the dolls--"One for Kit, and +one for Kat, and one for Father, and one for Mother, and an extra +one for good measure!" + +"O Kit, she's given us one more!" said Kat. "Let's eat it right +now! Thank you, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +So they ate up the one more then and there, beginning with the +feet. Kit bit one off, and Kat bit the other; and they took turns +until the St. Nicholas doll was all gone. + +Then they took the four others, said goodbye to the good Vrouw, +and went back to Father's stall. They found that Father had sold +all his things and was ready to go home. + +They carried their empty baskets back to the boat, and soon were +on their way home. The Twins sat on one seat, holding tight to +their dolls, which were growing rather sticky. + +The boat was so light that they went home from market much more +quickly than they had come, and it did not seem long before they +saw their own house. There it was, with its mossy roof half +hidden among the trees, and Vrouw Vedder waiting for them at the +gate. + +Dinner was all ready, and the Twins set the four St. Nicholas +dolls in a row, in the middle of the table. + +"There's one for Father, and one for Mother, and one for Kat, and +one for me," said Kit. + +"O Mother," said Kat, "Kit can think! He thought just how many +dolls he could buy when they were one for one cent! Isn't it fine +that he can do that?" + +"You've learned a great deal at the market," said Vrouw Vedder. +But Kit didn't say a word. He just looked proud and pleased and +put his hands in his pockets. + +"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called +Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw +Vedder. + +"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat. "Can't I go?" + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder. "Girls shouldn't think much. It isn't +good for them. Leave thinking to the men. You can stay at home +and help me." + + + +III + +MOTHER'S DAY + +"Yesterday was a very long day," said Vrouw Vedder on the morning +after Market Day. "You were gone such a long time." + +Kat gave her mother a great hug. + +"We'll stay with you all day today, Mother," she said. "Won't we, +Kit?" + +"Yes," said Kit; and he hugged her too. + +"And we'll help you just as much as we helped Father yesterday. +Won't we, Kit?" + +"More," said Kit. + +"I shouldn't wonder!" said Father. + +"I shall be glad of help," said Vrouw Vedder, "because Grandma is +coming, and I want everything to be very clean and tidy when she +comes. I'm going first to the pasture to milk the cow. You can go +with me and keep the flies away. That will be a great help." + +Vrouw Vedder put a yoke across her shoulders, with hooks hanging +from each end of it. Then she hung a large pail on one of the +hooks, and a brass milk can on the other. She gave Kat a little +pail to carry, and Kit took some switches from the willow tree in +the yard, with which to drive away the flies. Then they all three +started down the road to the pasture. + +Pretty soon they came to a little bridge over the canal, which +they had to cross. + +"Oh, dear," said Kat, looking down at the water, "I'm scared!" +You see, there was no railing at all to take hold of, and the +bridge was quite narrow. + +"Ho! 'Fraidy cat!" said Kit. "I'll go first and show you how." + +"And I'll walk behind you," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kat walked very slowly and held on hard to her pail, and so she +got over the bridge safely. + +"When I'm four feet and a half high, I'm going to jump over the +canal on a jumping pole," said Kit. + +"O how brave you are!" said Kat. "I should be scared. And besides +I'm afraid I should drop my shoes in the water." + +"Well, of course," said Kit, "boys can do a great many things +that girls can't do." + +When they reached the pasture, there was Mevrouw Holstein waiting +for them. Mevrouw Holstein was the cow's name. Kit and Kat named +her. + +Vrouw Vedder tucked up her skirts--and that was quite a task, for +she wore a great many of them--and sat down on a little stool. +Kit and Kat stood beside her and waved their willow wands and +said "Shoo!" to the flies; and Vrouw Vedder began to milk. + +Mevrouw Holstein had eaten so much of the green meadow grass that +Vrouw Vedder filled both the big pail and the brass can, and the +little pail too, with rich milk. + +"I shall have milk enough to make butter and cheese," said Vrouw +Vedder. "There are no cows like our Dutch cows in all the world, +I believe." + +"O Mother, are you going to churn today?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said the Vrouw, "I have cream enough at home to make a +good roll of butter, and you may help me if you will be very +careful and work steadily." + +"I will be very steady," said Kat. "I'm big enough now to learn." + +"All Dutch girls must know how to make good butter and cheese," +said Vrouw Vedder. + +"And boys can drink the buttermilk," said Kit. + +"I'll drink some too," said Kat. + +"There'll be plenty for both," said their mother. + +When she had finished milking, Vrouw Vedder shook out her skirts, +put the yoke across her shoulders again and lifted the large pail +of milk. She hung it on one of the hook and the brass milk can on +the other. Kat took the small pail, and they started back home. +The milk was quite heavy, so they walked slowly. + +They had crossed the bridge and were just turning down the road, +when what should they see but their old goose and gander walking +along the road, followed by six little goslings! + +"O Mother, Mother," screamed Kat; "there is the old goose that we +haven't seen for so long! She has stolen her nest and hatched out +six little geese all her own! They are taking them to the canal +to swim." + +"Quick, Kit, quick!" said Vrouw Vedder. "Don't let them go into +the canal! We must drive them home." + +Kit ran boldly forward in front of them, and Kat ran too. She +spilled some of the milk; but she was in such a hurry that she +never knew it, until afterwards, when she found some in her +wooden shoes! + +"K-s-s-s!" said the old goose; and she ran straight for the Twins +with her mouth open and her wings spread! The old gander ran at +them too. I can't begin to tell you how scared Kat was then! She +stood right still and screamed. + +Kit was scared too; but he stood by Kat, like a brave boy, and +shook his willow switches at the geese, and shouted "Shoo! Shoo!" +just as he did at the flies. + +Vrouw Vedder set her pails down in the road and came up behind, +flapping her apron. Then the old goose and the gander and all the +little goslings started slowly along the road for home, saying +cross words in Goose talk all the way! + +Father Vedder was working in the garden, when the procession came +down the road. First came the geese, looking very indignant, and +the goslings. Then came Kit with the leaves all whipped off his +willow switches. Then came Kat with her pail; and, last of all, +Vrouw Vedder and the milk! + +When the new family of geese had been taken care of, and the +fresh milk had been put away to cool, Vrouw Vedder got out her +churn and scalded it well. Then she put in her cream, and put the +cover down over the handle of the dasher. + +"Now, Kit and Kat, you may take turns," she said, "and see which +one of you can bring the butter, but be sure you work the dasher +very evenly or the butter will not be good." + +"Me first!" said Kat, and she began. Kit sat on a little stool +and watched for the butter. + +Kat worked the dasher up and down, up and down. The cream +splashed and splashed inside the churn, and a little white ring +of spatters came up around the dasher. Kat worked until her arms +ached. + +"Now it's my turn," said Kit. Then he poked the dasher, and the +cream splashed and splashed for quite a long time; but still the +butter did not come. + +"Ho!" said Kat. "You're nothing but a boy. Of course you don't +know how to churn. Let me try." And she took her turn. + +Dash! Splash! Splash, dash! She worked away; and very soon, +around the dasher, there was a ring of little specks of butter. + + "Come, butter, come! Come, butter, come! + Some for a honey cake, and some for a bun," + +she sang in time to the dasher; and truly, when Vrouw Vedder +opened the churn, there was a large cake of yellow butter! + +Vrouw Vedder took out the butter and worked it into a nice roll. +Then she gave each of the Twins a cup of buttermilk to drink. + +While the Twins drank the buttermilk, their mother washed the +churn and put it away. When she was all through, it was still +quite early in the morning, because they had gotten up with the +sun. + +"Now we must clean the house," she said. + +So she got out her scrubbing-brushes, and mops, and pails, and +dusters, and began. + +First she shook out the pillows of the best bed, that nobody ever +slept in, and pushed back the curtains so that the embroidered +coverlet could be seen. Then she put the other beds in order and +drew the curtains in front of them. + +She dusted the linen press and left it open just a little, so +that her beautiful rolls of white linen, tied with ribbons, would +show. Kat dusted the chairs, and Kit carried the big brass jugs +outside the kitchen door to be polished. + +Then they all three rubbed and scoured and polished them until +they shone like the sun. + +"Now it is time to cook the dinner," said Vrouw Vedder. "We will +have pork and potatoes and some cabbage. Kit, run to the garden +and bring a cabbage; and Kat, you may get the fire ready to cook +it, when Kit brings it in." + +Kat went to the stove--but it was such a funny stove! It wasn't a +stove at all, really. + +There was a sort of table built up against the chimney. It was +all covered with pretty blue tiles, with pictures of boats on +them. Over this table, there was a shelf, like a mantel shelf. +There were plates on it, and from the bottom of the shelf hung +some chains with hooks on them. The coals were right out on the +little table. + +Kat took the bellows and--puff, puff, puff!--made the coals burn +brighter. She peeped in the kettle to see that there was water in +it. Then she put some more charcoal on the fire. + +Kit brought in the cabbage, and Vrouw Vedder cut it up and put it +into the pot of water hanging over the fire. She put the pork and +potatoes in too. + +In a little while the pot was bubbling away merrily; and Father +Vedder, who was in the garden, sniffed the air and said, + +"I know what we are going to have for dinner." + +While the pot boiled, Vrouw Vedder scrubbed the floor and wiped +the window. then she took her brooms and scrubbing-brush outside. + +She scrubbed the door and the outside of the house. She scrubbed +the little pig with soap. The little pig squealed, because she +got some soap in its eyes. She scrubbed the steps--and even the +trunk of the poplar tree in the yard! She scrubbed everything in +sight, except Father Vedder and the Twins! By and by she came to +the door and called, + +"Come to dinner! Only be sure to leave your wooden shoes outside, +when you come into my clean kitchen." + +Here are the shoes, just as they left them, all in a row. And as +it was Saturday, the shoes were scrubbed too, that night. + +When the dinner was cleared away, Vrouw Vedder said to the Twins, + +"It is almost time for Grandmother to come. Let's walk out to +meet her." + +They walked clear to the edge of the town before they saw her +coming. They walked on top of the dyke, so they could look right +down into the street, and see all the houses in a row. +Grandmother was coming up the street with a basket on her arm. + +"What do you think is in that basket?" Vrouw Vedder asked the +Twins. + +"Honey cake!" said Kit; and Kat said, "Candy!" + +And Kit and Kat were both right. There was a large honey cake and +anise candies, and some currant buns besides! + +Grandmother let them peep in and see. They were very polite and +did not ask for any--Vrouw Vedder was proud of the Twins' good +manners. Grandmother said, + +"This afternoon, when we have tea, you shall have some." + +"I'm glad I ate such a lot of dinner," said Kit to Kat, as they +walked along; "or else I'd just have to have a bun this minute!" + +"Yes," said Kat, "it's much easier to be polite when you aren't +hungry." + +When they got home, Kit and Kat took their Grandmother to see the +new goslings, and to see the ducklings too. And Vrouw Vedder +showed her the butter that Kit and Kat had helped to churn; and +Grandmother said, + +"My, my! What helpers they are getting to be!" Then she said, +"How clean the house is!" and then, "How the brasses shine!" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "the Twins helped me make everything +clean and tidy to show to you." + +"I guess it's time for honey cake," said Grandmother. + +Then Vrouw Vedder stirred up the fire again and boiled the kettle +and made tea. She took down her best china cups and put them out +on the round table. + +Then Grandmother opened her basket and took out the honey cake +and buns and the candy; and Vrouw Vedder brought out her fresh +butter. + +"I can't stay polite much longer," said Kit to Kat. + +Grandmother gave them each a thin slice of honey cake and a bun; +and Vrouw Vedder spread some of the butter on the buns--and oh, +how good they were! + + "Some for a honey cake, + And some for a bun," + +sang Kat. It didn't take the Twins long to finish them. + +When they had drunk their tea, Grandmother brought out her +knitting, and Mother Vedder began to spin. + +"How many rolls of linen have you ready for Kat when she +marries?" Grandmother asked. + +"I try to make at least one roll each year; so she has four now +and I am working on the fifth one," said Vrouw Vedder. "She shall +be as well-to-do as any farmer's daughter near here, when she +marries. See, this is the last one," and Vrouw Vedder took from +the press a roll of beautiful white linen tied with blue ribbons. + +"Is that for me, Mother?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder. "When you marry, we shall have a fine +press full of linen for you." + +"Isn't Kit going to have some too?" asked Kat. + +Grandmother laughed. + +"The mother of the little girl who will some day marry Kit, is +working now on her linen, no doubt; so Kit won't need any of +yours." + +The Twins looked very solemn and went out into the yard. They sat +down on the bench by the kitchen door together. Then Kat said, + +"Kit, do you suppose we've got to be married?" + +"It looks like it," said Kit. + +Things seemed very dark indeed to the Twins. + +"Well," said Kat, "I just tell you I'm not going to do it. I 'm +going to stay at home with Mother and Father, and you and the +ducks and everything!" + +"What will they do with the linen then?" said Kit. "I guess +you'll have to be married." + +Kat began to cry. + +"I'll just go and ask Mother," she said. + +"I'll go with you," said Kit. "I don't want to any more than you +do." + +So the Twins got down from the bench and went into the kitchen +where Grandmother and Vrouw Vedder were. + +Their mother was spinning flax to make linen thread. + +"Mother," said the Twins, "will you please excuse us from being +married." + +"O my soul!" said Vrouw Vedder. She seemed surprised. + +"We don't want to at all," said Kat. "We'd rather stay with you." + +"You shan't be married until after you are four feet and a half +high and are called Christopher and Katrina anyway," said Vrouw +Vedder. "I promise you that." + +The Twins were much relieved. They went out and fed their +ducklings. They felt so much better that they gave them an extra +handful of grain, and they carried a bun to Father Vedder, who +was hoeing in the farthest corner of the garden. He ate it, +leaning on his hoe. + +When they went back to the house, it was late in the afternoon. +Grandmother was rolling up her knitting. + +"I must go home to Grandfather;" she said. "He'll be wanting his +supper." + +The Twins walked down the road as far as the first bridge with +Grandmother. There she kissed them good-bye and sent them home. + +When their mother put them to bed that night, Kat said, + +"Has this been a short day, Mother?" + +"Oh, very short!" said Vrouw Vedder, "because you helped me so +much." + +Then she kissed them good-night and went out to feed the pigs, +and shut up the chickens for the night. + +When she was gone, Kit said, + +"I don't see how they got along before we came. We help so much!" + +"No," said Kat; "I don't think--" But what she didn't think, no +one will ever know, because just then she popped off to sleep. + + + +IV + +ONE SUNDAY + +One Sunday morning in early fall, Kit and Kat woke up and peeped +out from their cupboard bed to see what was going on in the +world. + +The sun was shining through the little panes of the kitchen +window, making square patches of light on the floor. The kettle +was singing on the fire, and Vrowv Vedder was already putting +away the breakfast things. + +Father Vedder was lighting his pipe with a coal from the fire. He +had on his black Sunday clothes, all ready for church. Father +Vedder did not look at Kit and Kat at all. He just puffed away at +his pipe and said to himself, + +"If there are any Twins anywhere that want to go to church with +me, they'd better get dressed and eat their breakfasts." + +Kit and Kat tumbled out of the cupboard at once. + +Vrouw Vedder came to help them dress. + +I can't tell you how many petticoats she put on Kat, but it was +ever so many. And. over them all she put a skirt of plaid. There +was a waist of a different color, and over that a kerchief with +bright red roses on it. And over the skirt she put a new, clean +apron. + +Kit was dressed very splendidly too. He had full baggy trousers +of velveteen that reached to his ankles, and a jacket that +buttoned with big silver buttons. His trousers had pockets in +them. + +Kit and Kat both wore stockings, which Vrouw Vedder had knit, and +their best shoes of stout leather. + +When they were all dressed, Vrouw Vedder stood them up side by +side and had them turn around slowly to be sure they were all +right. + +"Now see that you behave well in meeting," she said. "Sit up +straight. Look at the Dominie, and do not whisper." + +"Yes, Mother," said Kit and Kat. + +Then she tied a big apron over each of them and gave them each a +bowl of bread and milk. While they were eating it, Father Vedder +went out and looked at the pigs, and chickens, and ducks, and +geese, and smoked his pipe. + +When he came in, Kit and Kat were quite ready. Vrouw Vedder had +tied on Kat's little white-winged cap, and put Kit's hat on. She +kissed them good-bye, and they were off, one on each side of +Father Vedder, holding tight to his hands. + +Mother Vedder looked after them proudly, from the doorway. She +did not go to church that day. + +They walked slowly along the roadway in the bright sunshine. Many +of their neighbors and friends, all dressed in their best, were +walking to church, too. + +Father Vedder and Kit and Kat went a little out of their way, in +order to pass a large windmill that was swinging its arms around +and creaking out a kind of sleepy windmill song. This is the song +it seemed to sing: + + Around, and around, and around, I go, + Sometimes fast and sometimes slow. + I pump the water and grind the grain, + The marshy fields of the Lowlands, drain. + I harness the wind to turn my mill, + Around, and around, and around with a will! + +Perhaps it was listening to the windmill song that made Kat say, + +"Why do we have windmills, father?" + +Kit and Kat said "Why?" every few steps on that walk. You see, +they didn't often have their father all to themselves, to ask +questions of. + +"Why, what a little Dutch girl," said Father Vedder, "not to know +what windmills are for! They pump the water out of the fields, to +be sure! Don't you know how wet the fields are sometimes? If we +didn't keep pumping the water out, they would be so wet we could +not make gardens at all." + +"Does the wind pump the water?" asked Kat. + +"Of course it does, goosie girl! and grinds the grain too. The +wind blows against the great arms and turns them round and round. +That works the pumps; and the pumps suck the water out of the +fields, and it is poured out into the canals. If it weren't for +the good old windmills working away, who knows but the water +would get the best of us some day and cover up all our land!" + +"Wouldn't the dykes keep out the sea?" asked Kit. + +"Suppose the dykes should break!" said Father Vedder. "Even one +little break can let in lots of water. The dykes have to be +watched day and night all the time, and the least bit of a hole +stopped up right away, so it can't grow any bigger and let in the +sea." + +"Oh dear," Kat said, "what a leaky country!" + +She ran near the mill and let the wind from the fans blow her +hair and the white wings on her cap. + +As the great fans swung near the ground, Kit jumped up and caught +hold of one. It lifted him right off the ground as it swung +around, and in a minute he was dangling high in the air. + +"Jump, jump, quick," shouted Father Vedder. + +Kit let go and dropped to the ground just in time. In another +minute he would have been carried clear over. + +As it was, he sat down very hard on the ground, and had to have +the dirt brushed off of his Sunday clothes. + +"I am surprised at you," Father Vedder said, while he brushed +him. "You are too small to swing on windmills, and besides it is +the Sabbath day. Don't you ever do it again until you are big +enough to be called Christopher!" + +Sitting down so hard in the dirt had hurt Kit a little bit, and +scared him a good deal, so he said, "No, father." + +Then they walked all around the mill. They peeped inside a door +which was open, and saw the pumps working away. + +"Yes," said Father Vedder, "it is nip and tuck between wind and +water in Holland. Let us sit down here on the canal bank, in the +sunshine, and I will tell you what hard work has to be done to +keep this good land of ours. And it is a good land! We should be +thankful for it! Just see the rich green meadows over there, with +the cows grazing in them!" Father Vedder pointed to the +beautiful fields across the canal. "The grass is so rich and +fresh, that the cows here give more milk than any other cows in +the whole world!" + +"That's what Mother says," said Kat. + +"The Holland butter and cheese are famous everywhere," went on +Father Vedder; "and we have all the good milk we want to drink, +besides. The Dutch gardens, too, are the finest in the world." + +"And ours is one of the best of Dutch gardens, isn't it, Father?" +said Kit. + +"It's a very good garden," said Father Vedder, proudly. "No one +can raise better onions and cabbage and carrots than I can. And +the Dutch bulbs! Our tulips and hyacinths make the whole world +bloom!" + +"Holland is really the greatest country there is; isn't it?" said +Kit. + +"Well, not in point of size, perhaps," Father Vedder admitted; +"but in pluck, my boy, it is! Did you know that sometimes people +call Holland the Land of Pluck?" + +"I don't see why," said Kat. "I'm Dutch, but I'm afraid of lots +of things! I'm afraid of spiders and of cross geese, and of +falling into the water!" + +"You're a girl, if you are Dutch," said Kit. "Boys are always +pluckier than girls; aren't they, Father?" + +"Really plucky people never boast," said Father Vedder. + +Kit looked the other way and dug the toe of his shoe into the +dirt. Kat snuggled up to her Father and sniffed at Kit. + +"So there, Kit!" was all she said. + +"There's pluck enough to go round," said Father Vedder mildly, +"and we all need it boys and girls, and men and women too. It +was pluck that made Holland, and it's pluck that keeps her from +slipping back into the sea." + +"How did pluck make Holland?" asked Kit. + +"There wasn't any Holland in the first place," Father Vedder +answered. "There were only some marshes and some lands under +water. But people built a wall of earth around these flats; and +then they pumped out the water from the space inside the wall, +and made canals through the land, and drained it. And after all +that work, we have our rich fields." + +"How does pluck keep them?" asked Kat. + +"The dykes have to be watched and mended all the time," said +Father Vedder. "And the windmills have to work and work, to keep +the fields drained. No one can be lazy in Holland. Each one has +to work well for what he gets. If Holland should grow lazy, she +would soon be back again in the Zuyder Zee! So, my children, you +see you must learn well and work hard. And that is all my sermon +to-day." + +"It is a better sermon than the Dominic will preach, I know," +said Kat. + +"Tut, tut! You must never say such things," said Father Vedder. +He got up and held out his hands to the Twins. + +"Come! we must walk along, or we shall be late for church," he +said. "Here comes the Dominie now." + +There indeed was the Dominie! Kit and Kat knew him well. No one +else dressed as he did. He wore a high silk hat, and long, black +coat and trousers, such as city people wear. + +As he came along the road, all the people bowed respectfully; the +little boys took off their caps, and the little girls bobbed a +courtesy. Kit and Kat bobbed and courtesied too, and the Dominie +smiled at them and laid his hand on Kit's head. + +"I wish he'd come to see us again," said Kit, after the Dominie +had passed by. + +Father Vedder was pleased. + +"I am glad to see that you love your pastor, my son," he said. + +"Well," said Kit, "I don't really like him so very much, because +we have to be washed, and recite the catechism, and mind all our +manners when he comes. But Mother always has such good things to +eat when the Dominie comes--doesn't she, Kat?--cake and preserves +and everything!" + +"If it weren't for the catechism and such things, it would be +something like St. Nicholas day!" sighed Kat. "But the Dominie +never forgets! And last time I couldn't tell what saving grace +was! The cakes are good, but..." + +"Good Dutch boys and girls always learn their catechism well," +said Father Vedder; "then they are glad to see the good Dominie +as well as the cakes. Now no more chatter! Here is a penny for +each of you to put in the bag when it is passed." + +He gave them each a penny. Kit put his in his pocket. Kat didn't +have a pocket, so she held hers tight in her hand. + +At the church door they met Grandfather and Grandmother. + +Grandfather looked very fine indeed, in his black clothes; and +Grandmother was all dressed up in her best black dress, with a +fresh white cap, and a shawl over her shoulders. She carried a +large psalm book with golden clasps in one hand, and a scent +bottle in the other. She had some peppermints too. Kit and Kat +smelled them. + +They all went into the church together, and an old woman led them +to their seats. Kit and Kat sat one each side of Grandmother. +Grandfather and Father Vedder sat on the other side of the church +with all the rest of the men. + +"You must sit very still and look straight before you," said +Grandmother. + +Kit remembered the peppermints and sat up like a soldier. So did +Kat. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came in and went up into the pulpit. +He read a chapter from the Bible, and then the Dominic stood up +in the pulpit and began to preach. He preached a long time. + +Kit and Kat tried very hard to sit still, just as Grandmother had +said; but pretty soon their heads began to nod. + +Grandmother gave them each a peppermint. + +They waked up for a minute. But the Dominic kept right on +preaching, until they were both sound asleep with their heads on +Grandmother's shoulders, one on each side; and if they had been +awake to see, they might have thought that Grandmother took a nap +too. + +The sermon was so very long that a great many people went to +sleep. So, by and by, the Dominie said, + +"We will all sing the Ninety-first Psalm." + +Everybody woke up. + +Grandmother opened the great golden clasps of her psalm book, and +stood up with all the rest of the people. She stood up quickly, +so that no one would think she had been asleep. She forgot that +the Twins were asleep too, with their heads on her shoulders. +That was why, when she got up, Kit and Kat fell against each +other and bumped their heads! + +They forgot that they were in church. They said "Ow!" both +together, and Kat began to cry. But Grandmother said "Sh! sh!" +and gave them each a peppermint; and that made them feel much +better. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came along with a little bag on the +end of along stick. He passed it to each person. Kit and Kat each +put in a penny, though Kit had a hard time to get his out of his +pocket. But Grandmother vas so upset about the Twins getting +bumped, that she forgot and put in a peppermint instead. + +When church was over and they were out on the street again, +Grandmother said, + +"Now you are coming home with me to stay all night." + +"Really and truly?" said the Twins. "And may we go with +Grandfather to carry the milk in the morning?" + +"Yes," said Grandfather, "and Kit may drive the dogs." + +Kit jumped right up and down, he was so happy, even if it was +Sunday. + +"May I too? May I too?" asked Kat. + +"You are a girl," said Grandfather. "You may ride in the wagon." + +"Oh, I wish to-morrow would come right away," said Kat. + +Then Kit and Kat said good-bye to Father Vedder and went home +with Grandmother and Grandfather. + +They lived on a little street in the town, where the houses stood +in a row close together. The houses were built of brick and had +wooden shutters at the windows, and they were so clean they shone +in the sun. + +This is a picture of Grandmother's house and of Grandmother and +Kit and Kat going in. The door opened right into the kitchen. + +Grandmother put away her shawl and psalm book and scent bottle as +soon as she was home. Then she put on a big apron and drew out +the round table. + +She boiled the kettle and made coffee; and, when it was done, she +set the coffee pot on a pretty little porcelain stove on the +table to keep hot. She got out bread and cheese and smoked beef +and, best of all, a plate of little cakes. + +Then they all four sat down to eat. I will not tell you how many +cakes Kit and Kat ate, but it was a good many. + +After dinner, Grandmother put away the things, and Kat helped +her. + +Kit sat beside Grandfather in the doorway while he smoked. Pretty +soon Grandfather said, + +"Bring me my accordeon, Kit." + +Kit ran to the press in the corner. He knew where the accordeon +was kept. + +Then Grandfather took the accordeon, tipped his head back, shut +his eyes and began to play, beating time with one foot. Kat heard +the music and came out too. + +She and Kit sat down on the doorstep, one on each side of +Grandfather, to listen. + +Grandfather played six tunes. + +Then Grandmother said, + +"Why don't we go to the woods to hear the band play?" + +"No reason at all," said Grandfather. So very soon they were on +their way to a grove on the edge of the town. + +In the grove a band was playing; and just as the Twins and +Grandfather and Grandmother came up, it began to play the national +hymn of Holland. All the people began to sing. There were a great +many people in the grove, and they all sang as aloud as they +could; so there was a great sound. Grandfather and Grandmother +and Kit and Kat all sang too; for they all knew every word of the +hymn. + +This is what they sang: + + Let him in whom old Dutch blood flows, + Untainted, free and strong; + Whose heart for Prince and Country glows, + Now join us in our song; + Let him with us lift up his voice, + And sing in patriot band, + The song at which all hearts rejoice, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + We brothers, true unto a man, + Will sing the old song yet; + Away with him who ever can + His Prince or Land forget! + A human heart glowed in him ne'er, + We turn from him our hand, + Who callous hears the song and prayer, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Preserve, O God, the dear old ground + Thou to our fathers gave; + The land where we a cradle found, + And where we'll find a grave! + We call, O Lord, to Thee on high, + As near death's door we stand, + Oh! Safety, blessing to our cry + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Loud ring thro' all rejoicings here, + Our prayer, O Lord, to Thee; + Preserve our Prince, his house so dear + To Holland great and free! + From youth thro' life, be this our song, + Till near to death we stand: + O God, preserve our sov'reign long, + Our Prince and Fatherland, + Our Prince and Fatherland. + +Now, while the people were singing with all their might, and the +band was playing, and Kit and Kat were having the most beautiful +time they had ever had in their whole lives, what do you think +happened? + +Down the long drive through the trees came a great, splendid +carriage, drawn by a pair of beautiful white horses with wavy +white tails and manes. There were two soldiers on horseback +riding in front of the carriage, and the driver of the carriage +was dressed in blue and orange livery. + +The carriage was open, and in it sat a beautiful, smiling young +lady. Beside her sat her husband; and a nurse, in the other seat, +held a baby in her arms. + +When the people saw the carriage and the lady, they waved their +caps and shouted, "Long live the Queen!" + +"Look! Look! Kit and Kat," said Grandfather. "It is your dear +Queen Wilhelmina, and Prince Henry and the little Princess! Wave +your hands!" + +Kit and kat waved with all their might, but they were so short, +and the people crowded beside the driveway so, that neither of +them could see. Then Grandfather caught Kit and lifted him up +high, and Grandmother did the same with Kat. + +It was fine to be up so high. Kit and Kat could see everything +better than anyone else there. And when the carriage came by, the +queen saw Kit and Kat! She smiled at them, and the nurse held the +little Princess up high for them to see! Kit and Kat threw kisses +to the little Princess; and the Princess waved her baby hand to +Kit and Kat; and then they were all gone, like a bright dream. + +But the soldiers were better to see even than queens, Kit +thought. Kat thought the baby, any baby, was nicer than either. + +When the carriage was out of sight, Grandfather and Grandmother +set the Twins down on the ground. Everyone began to talk about +the Queen, about how sweet she was, and how good; and the band +played, and everybody was as happy as they could possibly be. + +By and by it was time to go home; for, Grandfather said, "Dutch +girls and boys must learn to get up early in the morning, +especially Twins that are going out with the milk cart." + +So they went back to Grandfather Winkle's house; and Grandmother +put them to bed in a little cupboard like their own at home, +after they had had some supper. And the last thing Kat said that +night was, + +"O Kit, just to think that to-day we saw the Queen and the +soldiers, and the Queen's baby, and to-morrow we are going to +drive in the milk cart! What a beautiful world it is!" + +Just as they were dropping off to sleep, they heard a great noise +in the street. + +"Clap, clap, clap," it sounded, eight times. + +"There goes the Klapper man," said Grandmother Winkle. "Eight +o'clock, and time all honest folk were abed." + + + +V + +THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART + +The next morning Kit and Kat woke up very early, without any +one's calling them. You see, they were afraid they would be too +late to go with the milk cart. + +But Grandfather Winkle had only just gone out to get the milk +ready, and they had plenty of time to dress while Grandmother got +breakfast. Grandmother helped with the buttons and the hard +parts. + +Grandmother Winkle's kitchen was quite like the kitchen at home, +only a little nicer. It had red tiles on the floor; and it had +ever so many blue plates hanging around on the walls, and +standing on edge in a row on the shelves. There was a warming-pan +with a bright brass cover, hanging on the wall; and I wish you +could have seen the pillows and the coverlet on the best bed! + +Grandmother Winkle had embroidered those all herself, and she was +very proud of them. When she had company, she always drew the +curtains back so that her beautiful bed would be seen. She said +that Kit and Kat were company, and she always left the curtains +open when they came to visit her. + +When the Twins were all dressed, Grandmother said, + +"Mercy sakes! You have on your best clothes! Now that's just like +a man to promise to take you out in your best clothes in a milk +wagon! Whatever was Grandfather thinking about!" + +Kit and Kat thought she was going to say that they couldn't go, +so they dug their knuckles in their eyes and began to cry. But +they hadn't got farther than the first whimper when Grandmother +said, + +"Well, well, we must fix it somehow. Don't cry now, that's a good +Kit and Kat." So the Twins took their knuckles out of their eyes +and began to smile. + +Grandmother went to the press and brought out two aprons. One was +a very small apron. It wouldn't reach to Kit's knees. But she put +it on him and tied it around his waist. + +"This was your Uncle Jan's when he was a little boy," she said. +"It's pretty small, but it will help some." + +Kit wished that Uncle Jan had taken it with him when he went to +America. But he didn't say so. + +Then Grandmother took another apron out of the press. It looked +as if it had been there a long time. + +"Kat, you must wear this," she said. "It was your mother's when +she was a little girl." + +Now, this apron was all faded, and it had patches on it of +different kinds of cloth. Kat looked at her best dress. Then she +looked at the apron. Then she thought about the milk cart. She +wondered if she wanted to go in the milk cart badly enough to +wear that apron over her Sunday dress! She stuck her finger in +her mouth and looked sidewise at Grandmother Winkle. + +Grandmother didn't say a word. She just looked firm and held up +the apron. + +Very soon Kat came slowly--very slowly--and Grandmother buttoned +the apron up behind, and that was the end of that. + +The Twins could hardly eat any breakfast, they were in such a +hurry to go. As soon as they had taken the last spoonful, and +Grandfather Winkle had finished his coffee, they ran out into the +place where the dogs were kept, to help Grandfather harness them. + +There were two black and white dogs. Their names were Peter and +Paul. + +The wagon was small, just the right size for the dogs; and it was +painted blue. The bright brass cans full of milk were already in; +and there was a little seat for Kat to sit on. + +When the last strap was fastened, Grandfather lifted Kat up and +set her on the seat. She held on with both hands. + +Then Grandfather gave the lines to Kit, and a little stick for a +whip, and told him to walk slowly along beside the dogs. He told +him to be sure not to let go of the lines. + +Grandfather walked behind, carrying some milk cans. + +Grandmother stood in the door to see them off; and, as they +started away, Kat took one hand off the cart long enough to wave +it to her. Then she held on again; for the bricks in the pavement +made the cart joggle a good deal. + +"We must go first to Vrouw de Vet," Grandfather called out. "She +takes one quart of milk. Go slowly." + +At first Kit went slowly. But pretty soon there was a great +rattling behind him; and Hans Hite, a boy he knew, drove right +past him with his dog cart! He drove fast; and, as he passed Kit, +he stuck out his tongue and called out, + + "Milk for sale! Milk for sale! + A milk cart drawn by a pair of snails!" + +Kit forgot all about going slowly. + +"Get up!" he said to the dogs, and he touched them with his long +stick. + +Peter and Paul "got up." They jumped forward and began to run! + +Kit ran as fast as his legs would go beside the dogs, holding the +lines. But the dogs had four legs apiece, and Kit had only two; +so you see he couldn't keep up very well. + +Kat began to scream the moment that Peter and Paul began to run. +The dogs thought that something that made a dreadful noise was +after them, and they ran faster than ever. You see, Grandfather +Winkle never in the world screamed like that, and Peter and Paul +didn't know what to make of it. So they ran and ran and ran. + +Kat held on the best she could, but she bounced up ever so far in +the air every time the cart struck a bump in the street. So did +the milk cans; and when they came down again, the milk splashed +out. + +Kat didn't always come down in the same spot. All the spots were +hard, so it didn't really matter much which one she struck as she +came down. + +But Kat didn't think about that; she just screamed. And Peter and +Paul ran and ran, and Kit ran and ran, until he couldn't run any +more; he just sat down hard on the pavement and slid along. But +he didn't let go of the lines! + +When Kit sat down, it jerked the dogs so hard that they stopped +suddenly. But Kat didn't stop; she went right on. She flew out +over the front of the cart and landed on the ground, among all of +Peter and Paul's legs! Then she stopped going, but she didn't +stop screaming. + +And, though Kit was a boy, he screamed some too. Then Peter and +Paul pointed their noses up in the air and began to howl. + +Way back, ever so far, Grandfather was coming along as fast as he +could; but that wasn't very fast. + +All the doors on the street flew open, and all the good +housewives came clattering out to see what was the matter. They +picked Kat up and told her not to cry, and wiped her eyes with +their aprons, and stood Kit on his feet, and patted the dogs; and +pretty soon Peter and Paul stopped barking, and Kit and Kat +stopped screaming, and then it was time to find out what had +really happened. + +Neither of the Twins had any broken bones; the good housewives +wiggled all their arms and legs, and felt of their bones to see. +But shocking things had happened, nevertheless! Kat had torn a +great hole in the front of her best dress; and Kit had worn two +round holes in the seat of his Sunday clothes, where he slid +along on the pavement; and, besides that, the milk was slopped +all over the bottom of the cart! + +Just then Grandfather came up. If it hadn't been that his pipe +was still in his mouth, I really don't know what he might not +have said! He looked at the cart, and he looked at the Twins. +Then he took his pine out of his mouth and said sternly to Kit, + +"Why didn't you do as I told you?" + +"I did," said Kit, very much scared. "You told me to be sure to +hold tight to the lines, and I did! I never let go once." + +"Yes, and look at his clothes," said one of the women. She turned +him around and showed Grandfather the holes. + +"I told you to go slowly," said Grandfather. "Now look at the +cart, and see what you've done by not minding, spoiled your best +clothes and Kat's, and spilled the milk! Go back to Grandmother." + +"But I couldn't mind twice at one time," said Kit. "I was minding +about not letting go." + +"Oh dear," sobbed Kat, "I wish we were four and a half feet high +now! If we were, this never would have happened." + +Grandfather took the dogs and went on to Vrouw de Vets, without +another word. + +The Twins took each other's hands, and walked back to +Grandmother's house. Quite a number of little boys and girls in +wooden shoes clattered along with them. Grandmother heard all the +noise, and ran to the door to see what was the matter. + +"Laws a mercy me, I told you so!" she cried, the moment she saw +them. "Look at your clothes! See how you've torn them!" + +"I can't see the holes in mine," said Kit. + +"But I can," said Kat. And then all the children talked at once; +and what with wooden shoes and the tongues all going, Grandmother +clapped her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. Then she +took Kit and Kat into the kitchen and shut the door. She put on +her glasses and got down on the floor so she could see better. + +Then she turned Kit and Kat all around and looked at the holes. +"O! my soul!" she said. She took off the aprons and the torn +clothes and put the Twins to bed while she mended. + +She got out a pair of Grandfather's oldest velveteen breeches +that had been patched a great deal, and found a good piece to +patch with. Then she patched the holes in Kit's breeches so +neatly that one had to look very carefully indeed to see that +there had ever been any holes there at all. + +Then she patched Kay's dress; and, when it was all done, she +shook it out and said to herself, + +"Seems to me those Twins have been quiet for a long time." + +She went over to the cupboard bed; and there were Kit and Kat +fast asleep; with their cheeks all stained with tears and dirt. +Grandmother Winkle kissed them. Kit and Kat woke up, and +Grandmother dressed them in their Sunday clothes again, and +washed their faces and made them feel as good as new. + +By and by Grandfather Winkle came home from going about with the +milk. Grandmother Winkle scrubbed the cart and made it all clean +again; and by noon you would never have known, unless you had +looked very, very closely, much more closely than would be polite +that anything had happened to the Twins or the milk cart, or +their clothes or anything. + +After they had eaten their dinner, and the dogs were rested and +Grandfather had smoked his pipe he said, + +"Kit, if you think you can mind, I will take you and Kat both +home in the dog cart." Kit and Kat both nodded their heads very +hard. "Only, I'll do the driving myself," said Grandfather +Winkle. And he did. + +He put Kit and Kat both on the seat, and he walked slowly beside +the cart. They went out on the road beside the canal toward home. +They got there just as the sun was getting low in the west, and +Vrouw Vedder was going out to feed her chickens. + + + +VI + +THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + +One morning, when Kit and Kat ran out early to feed their +ducklings, the frost nipped their noses and ears. + +"It's getting colder every day. Very soon winter will come," Kat +said. + +They ran down to the canal. The old goose and the gander and the +goslings--now half grown--were standing on the bank, looking +unhappy: there was a thin sheet of ice all over the canal, and +they could not go swimming. + +Kit took a stick and broke the ice. Thin sheets of it, like +pieces of broken glass, were soon floating about; and the old +goose, the gander, and all the goslings went down the bank in a +procession into the water. + +They swam about among the pieces of ice for a while, but it was +so cold that they soon came up on the bank into the sun again and +wiggled their tails to shake out the water. Then they all sat +down in the sun to get their feet warm. + +Kit and Kat ran up and down the road and played tag until their +cheeks were red and they were warm as toast. Then they ran into +Vrouw Vedder's warm kitchen. + +The kettle was singing on the fire, and there was a smell of +coffee in the air. Vrouw Vedder gave the Twins some in a large +cup. She put in a good deal of milk and gave them each a piece of +sugar to sweeten it with. + +"Is it Sunday?" asked Kat. On Sundays they sometimes had coffee. +On other days they had milk. + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder; "but it is cold, and I thought a cup of +coffee would warm us all up." + +While they were drinking their coffee, Kit and Kat talked about +the ice, and what fun they would have with their sleds on the +canals when winter came. + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," said Kit; "I think we're big enough +to have skates. Hans Hite isn't much bigger than I am, and he had +skates last winter. I mean to ask Father this very day." + +"Yah," said Kat--that is the way Dutch Twins always say yes-- +"Yah, and let us be very good and help mother all we can. I think +maybe they will give skates to good Twins quite soon, even if we +aren't very big yet--not big enough to be called Christopher and +Katrina." + +Vrouw Vedder was heating water and getting out her scrubbing +brushes, so Kit and Kat knew that she was going to clean +something. + +"What are you going to scrub to-day, Mother?" asked Kit. + +"I'm going to scrub the stable," said Vrouw Vedder. "It is +getting too cold for the cows to stay all night in the pastures. +Father means to bring Mevrouw Holstein in to-night, and I want +her stable to be nice and clean for her." + +"We'll help you," said Kit and Kat very politely. + +"Good children!" their mother said. "You may carry the brushes." +So they opened a door beside the fireplace, and walked right into +the stable. + +The stable was really a part of the house. There were two stalls +in the stable. Vrouw Vedder took her pails of water and her +brushes and began to scrub. She scrubbed the walls, and the sides +of the stalls, and the floor. The Twins scrubbed, too, until they +were tired; and the stable was so clean, you would have liked to +live there yourself. + +"Let's play out here," said Kat. "Let's play house." + +"All right," said Kit. "I'll be the father, and you be the +mother." + +"But who will be Twins?" said Kat. + +"Let's get the ducklings," said Kit. + +"They can be Twins, of course," said Kat. "They are, anyway." + +So Kit ran out and brought in the ducklings. They were so tame +they always ran to Kit and Kat, when they saw them coming. They +were almost ducks now, they had grown so big. + +"Let's give the Twins their dinner," said Kat. So she got some +grain, and they both sat down on a little box and held the ducks +in their laps and fed them from their hands. The ducks ate +greedily. + +"You have very bad manners," said Kat. "You will get your clothes +all dirty." She took two rags and tied them around the ducks' +necks for bibs. The ducks did not like bibs. They quacked. + +"Now don't say anything like that," said Kat. "You must do just +as you are told and not spill your food." + +Then Kit got some water and a spoon and gave the Twins a drink, +but they did not like the drink either. + +"Now we must put them to sleep," said Kat. They rocked the ducks +in their arms, but the ducks squawked dreadfully. + +"What bad children to cry so!" said Kit. "You can have both the +Twins"; and he gave his duck to Kat. + +"You fix a bed for them," said Kat. So Kit turned up the box they +had been sitting on, and put some hay in it; and they put the +ducks in on the hay. + +Pretty soon the ducks went to sleep. Kit and Kat ran away to play +out of doors and forgot all about them. + +They didn't think about them again until Father Vedder came home +at night with Mevrouw Holstein. When he put the cow into the +stall, he stumbled over the box. It was rather dark in the +stable. + +"Quack, quack!" said the ducks. + +Kit and Kat were helping Father put the cow into the stall and +get some hay for her. When the ducks quacked, Father Vedder said, + +"What in the world is this?" + +"Oh, our Twins! our Twins!" cried Kit and Kat. "Don't let Mevrouw +Holstein step on the Twins!" + +Father Vedder pulled out the box. Kit and Kat each took a duck +and carried it out to the poultry house. + +"Twins are a great care," said Kit and Kat. + +"Now is the time to ask," whispered Kat to Kit, that night, when +Father Vedder had finished his supper and was lighting his pipe. +"You must ask very politely, just the very politest way you +can." + +They went and stood before their father. They put their feet +together. Kit made a bow, and Kat bobbed a curtsy. + +"Dear parent," said Kit. + +"That's a good start," whispered Kat. "Go on." + +"Well, well, what now?" said Father Vedder. + +"Dear parent, Kat and I are quite big now. I think we must be +nearly four feet and a half high. Don't you think we are big +enough to have skates this winter?" + +"So that's it!" said Father Vedder. Then he smoked his pipe +again. + +"There was ice on the canal this morning," said Kat. + +"So you think you are big enough to skate, do you?" said Father +Vedder, at last. Mother Vedder was clearing away the supper. +"What do you think about it, Mother?" said Father Vedder. + +"They have been very good children," said the Vrouw. "There are +the skates you and I had when we were children. We might try them +on and see if they are big enough to wear them. They are in the +bag hanging back of the press." + +Kit and Kat almost screamed with joy. + +"Our feet are quite large. I'm sure we can wear them," they said. + +Father Vedder got the bag down and took out two pairs of skates. +They had long curling ends on the runners. The Twins sat down on +the floor. Father Vedder tried on the skates. + +"They are still pretty large; but you will grow," he told the +Twins. "You may have them if you will be very careful and not let +them get rusty. By and by we will teach you to skate." + +The Twins practiced standing in the skates on the kitchen floor; +and, when bedtime came, they took the skates to bed with them. + +"O Kit," said Kat, "I never supposed we'd get them so soon. Did +you?" + +"Well," said Kit, "you see, we're pretty big and very good. That +makes a difference." + +"It's very nice to be good when people notice it, isn't it?" said +Kat. + +"Yah," said Kit. "I'm going to be good now right along, all the +time; for very soon St. Nicholas will come, and he leaves only a +rod in the shoes of bad children. And if you've been bad, you +have to tell him about it." + +"Oh! Oh!" said Kat. "I'm going to be good all the time too. I'm +going to be good until after the feast of St. Nicholas, anyway." + +Not many days after Kit and Kat got their skates, there came a +cold, cold wind. It blew over the fields and over the canals all +day and all night long; and in the morning, when the Twins looked +out, the canal was one shining roadway of ice. + +Father Vedder came in from the stable with a great pail full of +milk. + +"Winter is here now, for good and all," he said, as he set the +pail down. "The canals are frozen over, and soon it will be the +day for the feast of St. Nicholas." + +Kit and Kat ran to him and said, both together, + +"Dear Father Vedder, will you please teach us to skate before +St. Nicholas Day?" + +"I'll see if the ice is strong enough to bear," said Father +Vedder; and he went right down to the canal to see, that very +minute. When he came in, he said, + +"Yes, the ice is strong; and we will go out as soon as you are +ready, and try your skates." + +Vrouw Vedder said, "I should like to go too"; and Father Vedder +said to Kit and Kat, + +"Your mother used to be the finest skater in the whole village +when she was a young girl. You must not let her beat you." + +They hurried through with their work, Kit and Kat helped. Then +they all put on their heavy shoes and wraps, took their skates +over their shoulders, and started for the canal. + +"If you learn to skate well enough, we will take you to town +before the feast of St. Nicholas," said Father Vedder. "But it +comes very soon." + +He put on his own skates and Kit's, and the mother put on her own +and Kat's. + +"I'm sure we can do it almost right away," said Kat. + +"Now we'll show you how to skate," said Father Vedder. He stood +the Twins up on the ice. They held each other's hands. They were +afraid to move. Father Vedder took Mother Vedder's hand. + +"See," he said, "like this!" And away they went like two +swallows, skimming over the ice. In a minute they were ever so +far away. + +Kit and Kat felt lonesome, and very queer, when they saw their +father and mother flying along in that way. They weren't used to +see them do anything but work, and move about slowly. + +"It looks easy," said Kit. "Let's try it. We must not be afraid." + +He started with his right leg, pushing it out a little in front +of him. But it was very strange how his legs acted. They didn't +seem to belong to him at all! His left leg tried to follow his +right, just as it ought to; but, instead, it slid out sidewise +and knocked against Kat's skates. Then both Kat's feet flew up; +and she sat down very hard, on the ice. And Kit came down on top +of her. + +They tried to get up; but, each time they tried, their feet slid +away from them. + +"Oh dear," said Kat, "we are all mixed up! Are those your feet or +mine? I can't tell which is which!" + +"They don't any of them mind," said Kit. "I can't stand up on any +of them. I've tried them all! We'll just have to wait until +Father and Mother come back and pick us out." + +"Ice is quite cold to sit on, isn't it?" said Kat. + +Soon Father and Mother Vedder came skimming back again. When they +saw Kit and Kat, they laughed and skated to them, picked them up, +and set them on their feet. + +"Now I'll take Kit, and you take Kat," said Vrouw Vedder to her +husband, "and they'll be skating in no time." So Kat's father +took her hands, and Kit took hold of his mother's, and they +started off. + +At first the Twins' feet didn't behave well at all. They seemed +to want to do everything they could to bother them. They would +sprawl way apart; then they would toe in and run into each other. + +Many times Kit and Kat would have fallen if Father and Mother +Vedder had not held them up; but before the lesson was over, both +Kit and Kat could skate a little bit alone. + +"See, this is the way," said Vrouw Vedder; and she skated around +in a circle. Then she cut a figure like this 8 in the ice. Then +Father Vedder did a figure like this S all on one foot. + +"My!" said Kit and Kat. + +"I think our parents must skate the best of all the people in the +world," said Kat. + +"I'm going to some day," said Kit. + +"So'm I," said Kat. + +After a while Vrouw Vedder said, + +"It's time to go home. Not too much the first time." So they all +went back home with their cheeks as red as roses, and their noses +too, and such an appetite for dinner! + +But the Twins were a little lame next day. + +Every day after that, Kit and Kat went out with their skates to +the ditches and tried and tried to skate as Father and Mother did +they did so want to skate to town and see the sights before the +feast of St. Nicholas! They worked so hard that in a week they +could skate very well; and then they planned a surprise for their +mother. + +"If you will watch at the window, you'll see a great sight on the +canal very soon," said Kit to his mother one day. + +Of course Vrouw Vedder hadn't the least idea what it would be! + +Kit and Kat slipped out through the stable and ran down to the +ditch. They put on their skates and skated from the ditch out to +the big canal. + +Vrouw Vedder was watching at the window. Soon she saw Kit and Kat +go flying by, hand in hand, on the canal! They waved their hands +to her. Vrouw Vedder was so pleased that she went to call Father +Vedder, who was in the hay-loft over the stable. + +"Come and see Kit and Kat," she cried. + +Father Vedder came down from the loft and looked too. Then Kit +cut a figure like this, S, and Kat cut one like this, 6. The +round spot is where she sat down hard, just as she was almost +around. + +When they came into the kitchen Father said, + +"I think we could take such a fine pair of skaters as that to the +Vink with us on our way to town! The ice is very hard and thick +for so early in the season, and we will go to-morrow." + +"We can see the shops too. St. Nicholas is coming, and the shops +are full of fine things," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kit and Kat could hardly wait for tomorrow to come. They polished +their skates and made everything ready. + +"What do you suppose the Vink is?" said Kat to Kit. + +"I think it is something like a church," said Kit. + +"You don't know what a Vink is, so there," said Kat. "I think +it's something to eat." + +Then Kit changed the subject. + +"I'll race you to-morrow," he said. + +"I'll beat," said Kat. + +"We'll see," said Kit. + +The next day they started, all four, quite early in the morning: +Vrouw Vedder took her basket on her arm. + +"I shall want to buy some things," she said. + +Father Vedder lighted his pipe "To keep my nose warm," he said. + +Then they all went down to the canal and put on their skates. + +"Kat and I are going to race to the first windmill," said Kit. + +"I'll tell you when to start," said Father Vedder. + +"And I'll get a cake for the one who wins," said the mother. + +"One, two, three!" Away they flew like the wind! Father and +Mother Vedder came close behind. + +Kit was so sure he would beat that he thought he would show off a +little. He went zigzag across the canal; once or twice he stopped +to skate in curves. + +Kat didn't stop for anything. She kept her eyes on the windmill, +and she skated as hard as she could. + +They were getting quite near the mill now. Kit stopped playing +and began to skate as fast as he could. But Kat had got the start +of him. + +"I'll soon get ahead of her," he thought. "She 's a girl, and I'm +a boy." He struck out with great long sweeps, as long as such +short legs could make, but Kat kept ahead; and in another minute +there she was at the windmill, quite out of breath, and pointing +her finger at Kit! + +"I beat, I beat," she said. + +"Well, I could have beaten if I wanted to," said Kit. + +"I'll get the cake," said Kat. + +"I don't care," said Kit. But Kat knew that he did. + +"I'll give you a piece," she said. + +Father and Mother Vedder came along then; and when Kit and Kat +were rested, they all skated for along time without saying +anything. Then Father Vedder said proudly to his wife, + +"They keep up as well as anybody! Were there ever such Twins!" +And Mother Vedder said, + +"Never!" + +By and by other people appeared on the canal men and women and +children, all skating. They were going to the town to see the +sights too. + +One woman skated by with her baby in her arms. One man was +smoking a long pipe, and his wife was carrying a basket of eggs. +But the man and woman were good skaters. They flew along, +laughing; and no one could get near enough to upset them. + +As they came nearer to the town, Kit and Kat saw a tent near the +place where one canal opened into another. A man stood near the +tent. He put his hands together and shouted through them to the +skaters, + + "Come in, come in, and get a drink + Of warm sweet milk on your way to the Vink:" + +"We must be getting quite near the Vink," Kat said. "I do wonder +what it looks like Do you think it's alive?" + +They passed another tent. There a man was shouting, + + "Come buy a sweet cake; it costs but a cent, + Come buy, come buy, from the man in the tent." + +Vrouw Vedder said, + +"I promised a cake to the one who beat in the race. We'll go in +here and get it." + +So they went to the tent. + +They bought two cakes, and each ate half of one. Kat broke the +cakes and gave them to the others, because she won the race. + +When they had eaten the cakes, they skated on. The canals grew +more and more crowded. There were a good many tents; flags were +flying, and the whole place was very gay. + +At last they saw a big building, with crowds of merry skaters +about it. Many people were going in and out. + +"There's the Vink," said Father Vedder. + +"Where?" said Kit and Kat. + +He pointed to the building. + +"Oh!" said Kit. He never said another word about what they had +thought it was like. + +Soon they were inside the Vink. It was a large restaurant. There +were many little tables about, crowded with people, eating and +drinking. Father Vedder found a table, and they all sat down. + +"Bring us some pea soup," he said to the waiter. Soon they were +eating the hot soup. + +"This is the best thing I ever had," said Kit. + +When they had eaten their soup; they went out of the building and +walked through the streets of the town. All the shops were filled +with pretty things. The bake shops had wonderful cakes with +little candies on top, and there were great cakes made like St. +Nicholas himself in his long robes. + +Kit and Kat flattened their noses against all the shop windows, +and looked at the toys and cakes. + +"I wish St. Nicholas would bring me that," said kit, pointing to +a very large St. Nicholas cake. + +"And I want some of those," Kat said, pointing to some cakes made +in the shapes of birds and fish. + +Vrouw Vedder had gone with her basket on an errand. Father Vedder +and Kit and Kat walked slowly along, waiting for her. Soon there +was a great noise up the street. There were shouts, and the +clatter of wooden shoes. + +"Look! Look!" cried Kit. + +There, in the midst of the crowd, was a great white horse; and +riding on it was the good St. Nicholas himself! He had a long +white beard and red cheeks, and long robes, with a mitre on his +head; and he smiled at the children, who crowded around him and +followed him in a noisy procession down the street. + +Behind St. Nicholas came a cart, filled with packages of all +sizes. The children were all shouting at once, "Give me a cake, +good St. Nicholas!" or, "Give me a new pair of shoes!" or +whatever each one wanted most. + +"Where is he going?" asked Kit and Kat. + +"He's carrying presents to houses where there are good girls and +boys," Father Vedder said. "For bad children, there is only a rod +in the shoe." + +"I'm glad we're so good," said Kit. + +"When will he come to our house?" asked Kat. + +"Not until to-morrow," said Father Vedder. "But you must fill +your wooden shoes with beans or hay for his good horse, tonight; +and then perhaps he will come down the chimney and leave +something in them. It's worth trying." + +Kit and hat were in a hurry to get home, for fear the Saint would +get there first. + +It was growing late, so they all went to a waffle shop for their +supper. + +In the shop a woman sat before an open fire. On the fire was a +big waffle iron. She made the waffles, put sugar and butter on +them, and passed a plate of them to each one. Oh, how good they +were! + +When they had eaten their waffles, Father and Mother Vedder and +the Twins went back to the canal and put on their skates. It was +late in the afternoon: They took hold of hands and began to skate +toward home, four in a row. Father and Mother Vedder were on the +outside, and the Twins in the middle. + +It was dark when they reached home. Vrouw Vedder lighted the +fire, while Father Vedder went to feed the cow and see that the +chickens and ducks and geese were all safe for the night. + +Kit and Kat ran for their wooden shoes. They each took one and +put some hay in it. This was for St. Nicholas to give to his +horse. Father Vedder put the shoes on the mantel. Then they +hurried to bed to make morning come quicker. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat up late that night. Mother Vedder +said it was to prepare the goose for dinner the next day. + +When the Twins woke the next morning, the fire was already +roaring up the chimney, and the kitchen was warm as toast. They +hopped out of bed and ran for their wooden shoes. Mother Vedder +reached up to the mantel shelf for them. Truly, the hay was gone +and there in each shoe was a package done up in paper! + +"Oh, he did come! He did come!" cried Kat. "O Mother, you're sure +you didn't build the fire before he had got out of the chimney?" + +"I'm sure," said Vrouw Vedder. "I've made the fire on many a St. +Nicholas morning, and I've never burned him yet!" + +The Twins climbed up the steps to their cupboard bed and sat on +the edge of it to open their packages. In Kit's was a big St. +Nicholas cake, like the one in the shop window! And in Kat's were +three cakes like birds, and two like fish! + +"Just what we wanted!" said Kit and Kat. "Do you suppose he heard +us say so?" + +"St. Nicholas can hear what people think," said Vrouw Vedder. "He +is coming to see you to-night at six o'clock, and you must be +ready to sing him a little song and answer any questions he asks +you." + +"How glad I am that we are so good!" said Kat. + +"We'll see what the Saint thinks about that," said the mother. +"Now get dressed; for Grandfather and Grandmother will be here +for dinner, and we're going to have roast goose, and there's a +great deal to do." + +Kit and Kat set their beautiful cakes up where they could see +them while they dressed. + +"I do wish every day were St. Nicholas Day," said Kit. + +"Or the day before," said Kat. "That was such a nice day!" + +"All the days are nice days, I think," said Kit. + +"I don't think the dog-cart day was so very nice," said Kat. "We +tore our best clothes, and they'll never, never be so nice again. +That was because you didn't mind!" + +"Well," said Kit, "I minded as much as I could. How can I mind +two things at one time? You know how well I can think! You know +how I thought about Vrouw Van der Kloot's cakes. But I can't +think how I can mind twice at one time." + +"I don't suppose you can," said Kat. "But anyway, I'm sorry about +my dress." + +Just then Vrouw Vedder called them to come and eat their +breakfast. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat down at the little round table and +bowed their heads. Kit and Kat stood up. Father Vedder said +grace; and then they ate their salt herring and drank their +coffee; and Kit and Kat had coffee too, because it was St. +Nicholas morning. + +It was snowing when, after breakfast, Kit went out with his +father to feed the chickens and the pigs, and to see that the cow +had something very good that she liked to eat. When they had done +that, they called Kat; and she helped throw out some grain on the +white snow, so the birds could have a feast, too. + +It snowed all day. Kit and Kat both helped their mother get the +dinner. They got the cabbage and the onions and the potatoes +ready; and when the goose was hung upon the fire to roast, they +watched it and kept it spinning around on the spit, so it would +brown evenly. + +By and by the kitchen was all in order, and you can't think how +clean and homelike it looked! The brasses all around the room had +little flames dancing in them, because they were so bright and +shiny. Everything was ready for the St. Nicholas feast. The goose +was nearly roasted, and there was such a good smell of it in the +air! + +After a while there was a great stamping of feet at the door; and +Vrouw Vedder ran with the broom to brush the snow off Grandfather +and Grandmother, who had skated all the way from town, on the +canal. When they were warmed and dried, and all their wraps put +away, Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle looked around the +pleasant kitchen; and Grandmother said to Grandfather, + +"Our Neltje is certainly a good house-wife." Neltje was Vrouw +Vedder. And Grandfather said, + +"There's only one better one, my dear." He meant Grandmother +Winkle. + +By and by they all sat down to dinner, and I can't begin to tell +you how good it was! It makes one hungry just to think of it. +They had roast goose and onions and turnips and cabbage. They had +bread and butter, and cheese, and sweet cakes. + +"Everything except the flour in the bread, we raised ourselves," +said Vrouw Vedder. "The hens gave us the eggs; and the cow, the +butter. The Twins helped Father and me to take care of the +chickens, and to milk the cow, and to make the butter; so it is +our very own St. Nicholas feast that we are eating." + +"A farmer's life is the best life there is," said Father Vedder. + +They sat a long time at the table; and Grandfather told stories +about when he was a boy; and Father Vedder told how Kit and Kat +learned to skate; and Kit and Kat told how they saw St. Nicholas +riding on a white horse, and how he sent them the very things +they wanted; and they all enjoyed themselves very much. + +After dinner, Grandmother Winkle sat down in the chimney corner +and called Kit and Kat. + +"Come here," she said, "and I'll tell you some stories about St. +Nicholas." + +The Twins brought two little stools and sat beside her, one on +each side. She took out her knitting; and as the needles clicked +in her fingers, she told this story: + +"Once upon a time, many years ago, three little brothers went out +one day to the woods to gather fagots. They were just about as +big as you are, Kit and Kat." + +"Were they all three, twins?" asked Kat. + +"The story doesn't tell about that," said Grandmother Winkle; +"but maybe they were. At any rate, they all got lost in the woods +and wandered ever so far, trying to find their way home. But +instead of finding their way home, they just got more and more +lost all the time. They were very tired and hungry; but, as they +were brave boys, not one of them cried." + +"It's lucky that none of those twins were girls," said Kit. + +"I've even heard of boy twins that cried, when dog carts ran +away, or something of that kind happened," said Grandmother +Winkle. "But you shouldn't interrupt; it's not polite." + +"Oh!" said Kit very meekly. + +"Well, as I was saying, they were very lost indeed. Night was +coming on; and they were just thinking that they must lie down on +the ground to sleep, when one of them saw a light shining through +the leaves. He pointed it out to the others; and they walked +along toward it, stumbling over roots and stones as they went, +for it was now quite dark. + +"As they came nearer, they saw that the light came from the +window of a poor little hut on the edge of a clearing. + +"They went to the door and knocked. The door was opened by a +dirty old woman, who lived in the but with her husband, who was a +farmer. + +"The boys told the old woman that they had lost their way, and +asked her if she could give them a place to sleep. She spoke to +her husband, who sat crouched over a little fire in the corner; +and he told her to give them a bed in the loft. + +"The three boys climbed the little ladder into the loft and lay +down on the hay. They were so tired that they fell asleep at +once. The old man and his wife whispered about them over their +bit of fire. + +"'They are fine-looking boys; and well dressed,' said the old +woman. + +"'Yes,' said the old man, 'and I have no doubt they have plenty +of money about them.' + +"'Do you really think so?' said the wife. + +"'I think I'll find out,' said the wicked farmer. So he climbed +up to the loft and killed the three boys. Then he looked in their +pockets for money; but there was no money there. + +"He was very angry. And he was very much afraid, wicked people +are always afraid." + +"Are all afraid people wicked?" asked Kat. She wished very much +that she were brave. + +"M-m-m, well, not always," said Grandmother Winkle. + +"The wicked farmer was so afraid that he wanted to put the bodies +of the three boys where no one would find them. So he carried +them down cellar and put them into the pickle tub with his pork." + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" screamed Kat, and she put her hands over her ears. +Even Kit's eyes were very round and big. But Grandmother said, + +"Now, don't you be scared until I get to the end of the story. +Didn't I tell you it was all about St. Nicholas? You wait and see +what happened! + +"That very same day the wicked farmer went to market with some +vegetables to sell. As he was sitting in the market, St. Nicholas +appeared, before him. He had on his mitre and his long robes, +just as you see him in Kit's cake. + +"Have you any pork to sell?" St. Nicholas asked the man. + +"No," said the farmer. + +"What of the three young pigs in your brine tub in the cellar?" +said St. Nicholas. + +The farmer saw that his wicked deed was found out, as all wicked +deeds are, sooner or later. He fell on his knees and begged the +good Saint to forgive him. + +St. Nicholas said, "Show me the way to your house." + +The farmer left his vegetables unsold in the market and went +home at once, the Saint following all the way. + +When they reached the hut, St. Nicholas went to the pickled-pork +tub in the cellar. He waved his staff over the tub, and out +jumped the three boys, hearty and well! Then the good Saint took +them through the woods and left them in sight of their own home. + +"Oh, what a good St. Nicholas!" said Kit and Kat. "Tell us +another." + +"Well," said Grandmother Winkle, once upon another time there was +a very mean man, who had a great deal of money, that often +happens. He had, also, three beautiful daughters, that sometimes +happens too. + +One day he lost all his money. Now, he cared more for money than +for anything else in the world more, even, than for his three +beautiful daughters. So he made up his mind to sell them! + +St. Nicholas knew of this wicked plan; so that very night he +went to the man's house and dropped some money through a broken +window. + +"Why did he do that?" asked Kat. + +Because the man was selling his daughters to get money. If he +had money enough, he wouldn't sell them. + +The first night St. Nicholas dropped enough money to pay for the +eldest daughter. The next night he took a purse of gold for the +second daughter, and dropped it down the chimney. It fell down +right in front of the man, as he was getting a coal to light his +pipe. The third night the man watched; and when St. Nicholas +came, the door flew open, and the man ran out. He caught St. +Nicholas by his long robe and held him. + +"O St. Nicholas, Servant of the Lord," he said, "why dost thou +hide thy good deeds?" + +And from that time on, every one has known it is St. Nicholas +who brings gifts in the night and drops them down the chimney. + +"Did the man sell his daughter?" asked Kat. + +"No," said Grandmother. "He was so ashamed of himself that he +wasn't wicked any more." + +"Does St. Nicholas give everybody presents so they will be good?" +asked Kat. + +"Yes," said Grandmother; "that's why bad children get only a rod +in their shoes." + +"He gave the bad man nice presents to make him good," said Kit. +"Why doesn't he give bad children nice things to make them good +too?" + +Grandmother Winkle knitted for a minute without speaking. Then +she said, + +"I guess he thinks that the rod is the present that will make +them good in the shortest time." + +The clock had been ticking steadily along while Grandmother had +been telling stories, and it was now late in the afternoon. The +sky was all red in the west; there were long, long shadows across +the snowy fields, and the corners of the kitchen were quite dark. + +"It's almost time to expect him, now," said Vrouw Vedder; and she +brought out a sheet and spread it in the middle of the kitchen +floor. She stirred up the fire, and the room was filled with the +pleasant glow from the flames. + +Kit and Kat sat on their little stools. Their eyes were very big. +At five minutes of six, Vrouw Vedder said, + +"He will be here in just a few minutes, now. Get up, Kit and Kat, +and sing your song!" + +The Twins stood up on the edge of the sheet and began to sing: + + "St. Nicholas, good, holy man, + Put on your best gown; + Ride with it to Amsterdam, + From Amsterdam to Spain." + +While they were singing, there was a sound at the door, of some +one feeling for the latch. Then the door flew open, and a great +shower of sweet cakes and candies fell onto the sheet, all around +Kit and Kat! There in the doorway stood St. Nicholas himself, +smiling and shaking off the snow! His horse was stamping outside. +Kit and Kat could hear it. + +They stopped singing and hardly breathed, they stood so still. +They looked at St. Nicholas with big, big eyes. In one hand St. +Nicholas carried two large packages; in the other, a birch rod. + +"Are there any good children here?" said St. Nicholas. + +"Pretty good, if you please, dear St. Nicholas," said Kit in a +very small voice. + +"Children who always mind their mothers and fathers and +grandfathers and grandmothers?" said St. Nicholas, "and who do +not quarrel?" + +Kat couldn't say anything at all, though the Saint looked right +at her! Vrouw Vedder spoke. + +"I think, dear St. Nicholas, they are very good children," she +said. + +"Then I will leave these for them and carry the rod along to some +bad little boy and girl, if I find one," said St. Nicholas. +"There seem to be very few about here. I haven't left a single +rod yet." And he handed one big package to Kit, and another to +Kat. + +"Thank you," said Kit and Kat. + +St. Nicholas smiled at them and waved his hand. Then the door +shut, and he was gone! + +Kit and Kat dropped on their knees to pick up the cakes and +candies. They passed the cakes and candies around to each one. +Vrouw Vedder lighted the candles, and then they all gathered +around to see Kit and Kat open their bundles. + +"You open yours first," said Vrouw Vedder to Kat. + +Kat was so excited that she could hardly untie the string. When +she got the bundle open, there was a beautiful new Sunday dress +much prettier than the torn one had ever been! Oh, how pleased +Kat was! She hugged her motherand her grandmother and her father +and her grandfather. + +"I just wish I could hug dear St. Nicholas, too," she said. + +Then Kit opened his bundle; and there was a beautiful new +velveteen suit, with his very own silver buttons on it! It had +pockets in it! He put his hand in one pocket. It had a penny in +it! Then he put his hand in the other pocket. There was another +penny! + +"I'm going to see if there's a pocket in mine," said Kat. + +She hunted and hunted and hunted. By and by she found a pocket. +And sure enough, there was a penny in that too! + +Then some presents came from somewhere for Father and Mother +Vedder and for Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle; and such a +time as they all had, opening the bundles and showing their +presents! + +Then Mother Vedder tried on Kit's suit and Kat's dress, to see if +they were the right size. They were just right exactly. + +"St. Nicholas even knows how big we are," said Kat. + +"Oh, I wish St. Nicholas Day would last a week," said Kit. + +"That reminds me," said Vrouw Vedder, and she looked at the +clock. "Half-past ten, and these children still up! Bless my +heart, this will never do! Come here, Kit and Kat, and let me +undo your buttons!" + +"May we take our new clothes to bed with us?" Kat asked. + +"Yes, just this once," said Mother Vedder, "because this +is St. Nicholas night." + +They kissed their Grandfather and Grandmother good-night, and +their Mother and Father, and said their prayers like good +children; and then they climbed up into their little cupboard +bed, and Vrouw Vedder drew the curtains, so they would go to +sleep sooner. + +"Good-night, dear little Twins," she said. + +And so say we. + + + + + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS + +This book is the first of a series of stories for supplementary +reading the purpose of which is to give children a correct idea +of life in different countries, both in the spirit and atmosphere +of the story, and in the actual descriptions. These books will +also further a spirit of friendliness and good will for children +of other nationalities. Respect for and an understanding of the +life and customs of other races, are not only educationally +valuable, but are fundamentally important in this "crucible of +nations," where different races are fusing themselves together as +never before in the history of the world. Tradition is a precious +heritage, and the traditions of other nations should be the +natural inheritance of the American child, since here as nowhere +else all the nations of the earth are entering into our national +life. + +The author has recognized from the start that the purpose of a +book of this kind would fail of realization if the narrative does +not appeal strongly to children. The delight with which the book +has been received by children is evidence that the important +element of interest has not been left out of the narrative. + +To make the reading of this story most valuable as a school +exercise, it is suggested that children be allowed at the outset +to turn the pages of the book in order to get glimpses of "Kit" +and "Kat," in the various scenes in which they are portrayed, in +the illustrations, thus arousing their interest. With a globe, or +a map of the world, point out Holland, and tell the children +something about the unique character of the country. + +The text is so simply written that any third or fourth grade +child can read it without much preparation. In the third grade it +may be well to have the children read it first in the study +period in order to work out the pronunciation of the more +difficult words. In the fourth grade the children can usually +read it at sight, without the preparatory study. + +In connection with the reading of the book, have children read +selections from their readers and other books about Holland and +its people. The legend of "The Hole in the Dike" is an +illustration of this kind of collateral reading. Let children +also bring to class postcards and other pictures illustrating +scenes in Holland. + +The unique illustrations in the book should be much used, both in +the reading of the story and in other ways. Children will enjoy +sketching some of the pictures; their simple treatment makes them +especially useful for this purpose. An excellent oral language +exercise would be for the children, after they have read the +story, to take turns telling the story from the pictures; and a +good composition exercise would be for each child to select the +picture that he would like to write upon, make a sketch of it, +and write the story in his own words. + +These are only a few of the number of ways that will occur to +resourceful teachers of making the book a valuable as well as an +interesting exercise in reading. + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins + diff --git a/old/dtcht10.zip b/old/dtcht10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3ddf26 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/dtcht10.zip diff --git a/old/dtcht11.txt b/old/dtcht11.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..614f08d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/dtcht11.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3278 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins +#5 in our series by Lucy Fitch Perkins + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.10/04/01*END* + + + + + +Produced for Project Gutenberg by Lynn Hill <hill_lynn@hotmail.com> +This PG project is dedicated to Luana Rodriquez, who proofreads +my projects and loves the "Twins" stories. + + + + + + + + +This book belongs to +Lawrence and other children + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + +By Lucy Fitch Perkins + +ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR + + + + +Geographical Series + +THE DUTCH TWINS PRIMER. Grade I. +THE DUTCH TWINS. Grade III. +THE ESKIMO TWINS. Grade II. +THE JAPANESE TWINS. Grade IV. +THE SWISS TWINS. Grade IV. +THE IRISH TWINS. Grade V. +THE ITALIAN TWINS. Grades V and VI. +THE SCOTCH TWINS. Grades V and VI. +THE MEXICAN TWINS. Grade VI. +THE BELGIAN TWINS. Grade VI. +THE FRENCH TWINS. Grade VII. + +Historical Series + +THE CAVE TWINS. Grade IV. +THE SPARTAN TWINS. Grades V-VI. +THE PURITAN TWINS. Grades VI-VII. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +INTRODUCTION - KIT AND KAT + +I. THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING + +II. MARKET DAY WITH FATHER + +III. MOTHER'S DAY. + +IV. ONE SUNDAY + +V. THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART + +VI. THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + + + + +THE DUTCH TWINS + +KIT AND KAT + + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat. They are Twins, and they live +in Holland. Kit is the boy, and Kat is the girl. + +Of course their real names are not Kit and Kat at all. Their real +names are Christopher and Katrina. But you can see for yourself +that such long names as that would never in the world fit such a +short pair of Twins. So the Twins' Mother, Vrouw Vedder, said, + +"They cannot be called Christopher and Katrina until they are +four and a half feet high." + +Now it takes a long time to grow four and a half feet of Boy and +Girl. You know, chickens and puppies and colts and kittens always +grow up much faster than twins. Kit and Kat ate a great many +breakfasts and dinners and suppers, and played a great many +plays, and had a great many happy days while they were growing up +to their names. I will tell you about some of them. + + + + +I. + +THE DAY THEY WENT FISHING + + +One summer morning, very early, Vrouw Vedder opened the door of +her little Dutch kitchen and stepped out. + +She looked across the road which ran by the house, across the +canal on the other side, across the level green fields that lay +beyond, clear to the blue rim of the world, where the sky touches +the earth. The sky was very blue; and the great, round, shining +face of the sun was just peering over the tops of the trees, as +she looked out. + +Vrouw Vedder listened. The roosters in the barnyard were crowing, the +ducks in the canal were quacking, and all the little birds in the +fields were singing for joy. Vrouw Vedder hummed a slow little tune of +her own, as she went back into her kitchen. + +Kit and Kat were still asleep in their little cupboard bed. She +gave them each a kiss. The Twins opened their eyes and sat up. + +"O Kit and Kat," said Vrouw Vedder, "the sun is up, the birds are +all awake and singing, and Grandfather is going fishing to-day. +If you will hurry, you may go with him! He is coming at six +o'clock; so pop out of bed and get dressed. I will put some lunch +for you in the yellow basket, and you may dig worms for bait in +the garden. Only be sure not to step on the young cabbages that +Father planted." + +Kit and Kat bounced out of bed in a minute. Their mother helped +them put on their clothes and new wooden shoes. Then she gave +them each a bowl of bread and milk for their breakfast. They ate +it sitting on the kitchen doorstep. + +This is a picture of Kit and Kat digging worms. You see they did +just as their mother said, and did not step on the young +cabbages. They sat on them, instead. But that was an accident. + +Kit dug the worms, and Kat put them into a basket, with some +earth in it to make them feel at home. + +When Grandfather came, he brought a large fishing-rod for himself +and two little ones for the Twins. There was a little hook on the +end of each line. + +Vrouw Vedder kissed Kit and Kat good-bye. + +"Mind Grandfather, and don't fall into the water," she said. + +Grandfather and the Twins started off together down the long road +beside the canal. + +The house where the Twins lived was right beside the canal. Their +father was a gardener, and his beautiful rows of cabbages and +beets and onions stretched in long lines across the level fields +by the roadside. + +Grandfather lived in a large town, a little way beyond the farm +where the Twins lived. He did not often have a holiday, because +he carried milk to the doors of the people in the town, every +morning early. Sometime I will tell you how he did it; but I must +not tell you now, because if I do, I can't tell you about their +going fishing. + +This morning, Grandfather carried his rod and the lunch-basket. +Kit and Kat carried the basket of worms between them, and their +rods over their shoulders, and they were all three very happy. + +They walked along ever so far, beside the canal. Then they turned +to the left and walked along a path that ran from the canal +across the green fields to what looked like a hill. + +But it wasn't a hill at all, really, because there aren't any +hills in Holland. It was a long, long wall of earth, very high-- +oh, as high as a house, or even higher! And it had sloping +sides. + +There is such a wall of earth all around the country of Holland, +where the Twins live. There has to be a wall, because the sea is +higher than the land. If there were no walls to shut out the sea, +the whole country would be covered with water; and if that were +so, then there wouldn't be any Holland, or any Holland Twins, or +any story. So you see it was very lucky for the Twins that the +wall was there. They called it a dyke. + +Grandfather and Kit and Kat climbed the dyke. When they reached +the top, they sat down a few minutes to rest and look at the +great blue sea. Grandfather sat in the middle, With Kit on one +side, and Kat on the other; and the basket of worms and the +basket of lunch were there, too. + +They saw a great ship sail slowly by, making a cloud of smoke. + +"Where do the ships go, Grandfather?" asked Kit. + +"To America, and England, and China, and all over the world," +said Grandfather. + +"Why?" asked Kat. Kat almost always said "Why?" and when she +didn't, Kit did. + +"To take flax and linen from the mills of Holland to make dresses +for little girls in other countries," said Grandfather. + +"Is that all?" asked Kit. + +"They take cheese and herring, bulbs and butter, and lots of +other things besides, and bring back to us wheat and meat and all +sorts of good things from the lands across the sea." + +"I think I'll be a sea captain when I'm big," said Kit. + +"So will I," said Kat. + +"Girls can't," said Kit. + +But Grandfather shook his head and said: + +"You can't tell what a girl may be by the time she's four feet +and a half high and is called Katrina. There's no telling what +girls will do anyway. But, children, if we stay here we shall not +catch any fish." + +So they went down the other side of the dyke and cut onto a +little pier that ran from the sandy beach into the water. + +Grandfather showed them how to bait their hooks. Kit baited +Kat's for her, because Kat said it made her all wriggly inside to +do it. She did not like it. Neither did the worm! + +They all sat down on the end of the pier, Grandfather sat on the +very end and let his wooden shoes hang down over the water; but +he made Kit and Kat sit with their feet stuck straight out in +front of them, so they just reached to the edge, "So you can't +fall in," said Grandfather. + +They dropped their hooks into the water and sat very still, +waiting for a bite. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, +and it grew hotter and hotter on the pier. The flies tickled +Kat's nose and made her sneeze. + +"Keep still, can't you?" said Kit crossly. "You'll scare the +fish. Girls don't know how to fish, anyway." + +Pretty soon Kat felt a queer little jerk on her line. She was +perfectly sure she did. + +Kat squealed and jerked her rod. She jerked it so hard that one +foot flew right up in the air, and one of her new wooden shoes +went--splash--right into the water! + +But that wasn't the worst of it! Before you could say Jack +Robinson, Kat's hook flew around and caught in Kit's clothes and +pricked him. + +Kit jumped and said "Ow!" And then--no one could ever tell how it +happened--there was Kit in the water, too, splashing like a young +whale, with Kat's hook still holding fast to his clothes in the +back! + +Grandfather jumped then, too, you may be sure. He caught hold of +Kat's rod and pulled hard and called out, "Steady there, steady!" + +And in one minute there was Kit in the shallow water beside the +pier, puffing and blowing like a grampus! + +Grandfather reached down and pulled him up. + +When Kit was safely on the pier, Kat threw her arms around his +neck, though the water was running down in streams from his hair +and eyes and ears. + +"O Kit," she said, "I truly thought it was a fish on my line when +I jumped!" + +"Just like a g-g-girl," said Kit. "They don't know how to f-f-fish." +You see his teeth were chattering, because the water was cold. + +"Well, anyway," said Kat, "I caught more than you did. I caught +you!" + +Then Kat thought of something else She shook her finger at Kit. + +"O Kit," she said, "Mother told you not to fall into the water!" + +"'T-t-twas all your fault," roared Kit. "Y-y-you began it! +Anyway, where is your new wooden shoe?" + +"Where are both of yours?" screamed Kat. + +Sure enough, where were they? No one had thought about shoes, +because they were thinking so hard about Kit. + +They ran to the end of the pier and looked. There was Kat's shoe +sailing away toward America like a little boat! Kit's were still +bobbing about in the water near the pier. + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" shrieked Kat; but the tide was going out and +carrying her shoe farther away every minute. They could not get +it; but Grandfather reached down with his rod and fished out both +of Kit's shoes Then Kat took off her other one and her stockings, +and they all three went back to the beach. + +Grandfather and Kat covered Kit up with sand to keep him warm +while his clothes were drying. Then Grandfather stuck the Twins' +fish-poles up in the sand and tied the lines together for a +clothes-line, and hung Kit's clothes up on it, and Kat put their +three wooden shoes in a row beside Kit. + +Then they ate their luncheon of bread and butter, cheese, and +milk, with some radishes from Father's garden. It tasted very +good, even if it was sandy. After lunch Grandfather said, "It +will never do to go home without any fish at all." + +So by and by he went back to the pier and caught one while the +Twins played in the sand. He put it in the lunch-basket to carry +home. + +Kat brought shells and pebbles to Kit, because he had to stay +covered up in the sand, and Kit built a play dyke all around +himself with them, and Kat dug a canal outside the dyke. Then she +made sand-pies in clam-shells and set them in a row in the sun to +bake. + +They played until the shadow of the dyke grew very long across +the sandy beach, and then Grandfather said it was time to go +home. + +He helped Kit dress, but Kit's clothes were still a little wet in +the thick parts. And Kat had to go barefooted and carry her one +wooden shoe. + +They climbed the dyke and crossed the fields, and walked along +the road by the canal. The road shone, like a strip of yellow +ribbon across the green field. They walked quite slowly, for they +were tired and sleepy. + +By and by Kit said, "I see our house"; and Kat said, "I see +Mother at the gate." + +Grandfather gave the fish he caught to Kit and Kat, and Vrouw +Vedder cooked it for their supper; and though it was not a very +big fish, they all had some. + +Grandfather must have told Vrouw Vedder something about what had +happened; for that night, when she put Kit to bed, she felt of +his clothes carefully--but she didn't say a word about their +being damp. And she said to Kat: "To-morrow we will see the +shoemaker and have him make you another shoe." + +Then Kit and Kat hugged her and said good-night, and popped off +to sleep before you could wink your eyes. + + + + +II + +MARKET DAY WITH FATHER + + +One afternoon Kit and Kat were playing around the kitchen +doorstep, while their Mother sat on a bench by the door, peeling +some onions for supper. It was not yet supper-time, but Vrouw +Vedder was always ahead of the clock with the work. + +Kit and Kat had a pan of water and were teaching their ducklings +to swim. They each had one little fat duckling of their very own. +The ducklings squawked when Kit lifted them over the edge of the +pan into the water. + +"Don't do that, Kit," said Kat. "The ducklings don't like it. You +didn't like it when you fell into the water, did you?" + +"But I'm not a duck," said Kit. + +"Well, anyway, they're tired and want to go to their mother," +said Kat. "Let's do something else! I'll tell you what! Let's go +out to the garden and help Father get the boat loaded for +market." + +"All right," said Kit. "May we, Mother?" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "and you may ask Father if he will take +you to market with him to-morrow if it's fair. Tell him I said +you could ask." + +"Oh, goody, goody!" said Kit and Kat, both at once; and they ran +as fast as their wooden shoes would take them out into the +garden. + +They found their father cutting cabbages and gathering them into +piles. He was stopping to light his pipe, when they reached him. + +"O Father!" said Kit and Kat both together. "May we go on the +boat to market with you to-morrow morning? Mother said we might +ask!" + +Father Vedder blew two puffs from his pipe without answering. + +"We'll help you load the boat," said Kit. + +"Yes," said Kat, "I can carry a cabbage." + +"I can carry two," said Kit. "We'll both be good," said Kat. + +"Very well," said Father, at last. "We'll see how you work! And +to-morrow morning, if it's fair, I'll see! But you must go to bed +early to-night, because you'll have to get up very early in the +morning, if you go with me! Now you each take a cabbage and run +along." + +Father Vedder went back to his work. + +Kit and Kat ran to the cabbage-pile. Kat took one, and Kit took +two--just to show that he could. + +"When Father says 'I'll see,' he always means 'yes,'" Kat said to +Kit. + +Perhaps it seems queer to you that they should go to market in a +boat, but it didn't seem queer at all to the Twins. + +Your see, in Holland there are a great many canals. They cross +the fields like roadways of water, and that is what they really +are. Little canals open into big ones, and big ones go clear to +the sea. + +It is very easy for farmers to load their vegetables for market +right on a boat. They can pull the boat out into the big canal, +and then away they go to sell their produce in the town. + +The canals flow through the towns, too, and make water streets, +where boats go up and down as carriages go here. + +The Twins and their father worked like beavers, washing the +vegetables and packing them in baskets, until their good old boat +was filled with cabbages and onions and beets and carrots and all +sorts of good things to eat. + +By that time it was nearly dark, and they were all three very +hungry; so they went home. + +They found that Mother Vedder had made buttermilk porridge for +supper. The Twins loved buttermilk porridge. They each ate three +bowls of it, and then their mother put them to bed. + +This is a picture of the bed! It opened like a cupboard right +into the kitchen, and it was like going to bed on a shelf in the +pantry. + +The very next thing the Twins knew, it was morning, and there was +Vrouw Vedder calling to them. + +"It's market day, and the sun is almost up. Come Kit and Kat, if +you want to go with Father," she said. + +The Twins bounced out like two rubber balls. They ate some +breakfast and then ran to the boat. + +Father was there before them. He helped them into the boat and +put them both on one seat, and told them to sit still. Then he +got in and took the pole and pushed off. + +Vrouw Vedder stood on the canal bank to see them pass. + +"Be good children; mind Father, and don't get lost," she called +after them. + +Kit and Kat were very busy all the way to town, looking at the +things to be seen on each side of the canal. + +It was so early in the morning that the grass was all shiny with +dew. Black and white cows were eating the rich green grass, and a +few laborers were already in the fields. + +They passed little groups of farm buildings, their red-tiled +roofs shining in the morning sun; and the windmills threw long, +long shadows across the fields. + +The blue blossoms of the flax nodded to them from the canal bank; +and once, they saw a stork fly over a mossy green roof, to her +nest on the chimney, with a frog in her mouth. + +They went under bridges and by little canals that opened into the +main canal. They passed so close to some of the houses that Kit +and Kat could see the white curtains blowing in the windows, and +the pots of red geraniums standing on the sill. In one house the +family waved their hands to Kit and Kat from the breakfast table, +and a little farther on they passed a woman who was washing +clothes in the canal. Other boats filled with vegetables and +flowers of all colors passed them. And they were going to market +too. Only no other boat had twins in it. + +"Good day, neighbor Vedder," one man called out. "Are you taking +a pair of fat pigs to market?" + +By and by they came to the town. There were a great many boats in +the canal here, and people calling back and forth to each other +from them. + +Kit and Kat saw a boat that the Captain's family lived in. It was +like a floating house. + +The Twins thought it must be grand to live on a boat like that, +just going about from town to town, seeing new sights every day. + +"We should never have to go to school at all," said Kit. + +They wished their own boat were big enough to move about in; but +Father told them they must sit very, very still all the time. + +There were houses on each side of the canal, in the town, and +people were clattering along over the pavement in their wooden +shoes. + +The market-place was an open square in the middle of the town. It +had little booths and stalls all about it. The farmers brought +their fresh vegetables and flowers, or whatever they had to sell, +into these stalls, and then sat there waiting for customers. + +Kit and Kat helped their father to unload the boat. Then they sat +down on a box, and Father gave them each some bread and cheese to +eat; for they were hungry again. They put the cheese between +slices of bread and took bites, while they looked about. + +Soon there were a good many people in the square. Most of them +were women with market baskets on their arms. They went to the +different stalls to see what they would buy for dinner. + +A large woman with a big basket on her arm came along to the +stall where Kit and Kat were sitting. + +"Bless my heart!" she said. "Are you twins?" + +"Yes, Ma'am," said Kit and Kat. And Kat said, "We're five years +old." + +"O my soul!" said the large woman. "So you are! What are your +names?" + +"Christopher and Katrina, but they call us Kit and Kat for +short." It was Kat who said this. And Kit said, + +"When we are four feet and a half high, we are going to be called +Christopher and Katrina." + +"Well, well, well!" said the large woman. "So you are! Now my +name is Vrouw Van der Kloot. Are you helping Father?" + +"Yes," said the Twins. "We're going to help him sell things." + +"Then you may sell me a cabbage and ten onions," said Vrouw Van +der Kloot. + +Father Vedder's eyes twinkled, and he lit his pipe. Kit got a +cabbage for the Vrouw. + +"You can get the ten onions," he said to Kat. You see, really Kit +couldn't count ten and be sure of it. So he asked Kat to do it. + +Kat wasn't afraid. She took out a little pile of onions in a +measure, and said to Vrouw Van der Kloot, + +"Is that ten?" + +Then Vrouw Van der Kloot counted them with Kat, very carefully. +There were eleven, and so she gave back one. Then she gave Kat +the money for the onions, and Kit the money for the cabbage. + +Father Vedder said, "Now Kit and Kat, by and by, when you get +hungry again, you can go over to Vrouw Van der Kloot's stall and +buy something from her. She keeps the sweetie shop." + +"Oh! Oh!" cried Kit and Kat. "We're hungry yet! Can't we go now?" + +"No, not now," said Father. "We must do some work first." + +The Twins helped Father Vedder a long time. They learned to count +ten and to do several other things. Then their father gave them +the money for the cabbage and the ten onions they had sold to +Vrouw Van der Kloot, and said, + +"You may walk around the market and look in all the stalls, and +buy the thing you like best that costs just two cents. Then come +back here to me." + +Kit and Kat set forth on their travels, to see the world. They +each held the money tightly shut in one hand, and with the other +hand they held on to each other. + +"The world is very large," said Kit and Kat. + +They saw all sorts of strange things in the market. There were +tables piled high with flowers. There was a stall full of birds +in cages, singing away with all their might. One cage had five +little birds in it, sitting in a row. + +"O Kit," cried Kat, "let's buy the birds!" + +They asked the woman if the birds cost two cents, and she said, + +"No, my angels; they cost fifty cents." + +You see, now that the Twins could count ten, they knew they +couldn't get the birds for two cents when they cost fifty. So +they went to the next place. + +There, there were chickens and ducks for sale. But the Twins had +plenty of those at home. There were stalls and stalls of +vegetables just like Father's, and there were booths where meat +and fish and wood and peat were sold. But the Twins couldn't find +anything they wanted that cost exactly two cents. + +At last, what should they see but Vrouw Van der Kloot's fat face +smiling at them from a stall just full of cakes and cookies and +bread, and chocolate, and honey cakes, and goodies of all kinds. + +The Twins held up their money. + +There on the counter was a whole row of St. Nicholas dolls with +currant eyes, and they knew at once that there was nothing else +in all the market they should like so much! + +"Do these cost two cents apiece, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot?" asked +Kat. + +"No," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; "they cost one cent apiece." + +The Twins were discouraged. + +"I don't believe there's a single thing in this whole market that +costs just two cents," said Kat. + +"Keep still!" said Kit. "Let me think." + +They sat down on the curb. Kat kept still, and Kit took hold of +his head with both hands and thought hard. He thought so hard +that he scowled all over his forehead! + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," he said at last. "If those St. +Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece, I _think_ we could get two +of them for two cents." + +"O Kit," said Kat, "how splendidly you can think! Does it hurt +you much? Let's ask Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +They went back to the good Vrouw, who was selling some coffee +bread to a woman with a basket. + +"O Vrouw Van der Kloot," said Kat, "Kit says that if those St. +Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece, he _thinks_ we could get two +for two cents. Do you think so?" + +"Of course you can," said Vrouw Van der Kloot; and she winked at +the lady with the bread. + +"But you've got two cents, and I've got two," said Kat to Kit. +"If you should get two Nicholas dolls, why, I should have my two +cents left; shouldn't I? Oh! dear, it won't come out right +anyway!" + +"Let me think some more," said Kit; and when he had thought some +more, he said, + +"I'll tell you what let's! You get two with your two cents, and +I'll get two with mine! And I'll give my other one to Mother and +you can give your other one to Father!" + +"That's just what we'll do," said Kat. + +They went back to Vrouw Van der Kloot. + +"We'll take _four_ dolls," said Kat. + +"Well, well, well!" said the Vrouw. "So you've figured it all +out, have you?" And she counted out the dolls--"One for Kit, and +one for Kat, and one for Father, and one for Mother, and an extra +one for good measure!" + +"O Kit, she's given us one more!" said Kat. "Let's eat it right +now! Thank you, dear Vrouw Van der Kloot." + +So they ate up the one more then and there, beginning with the +feet. Kit bit one off, and Kat bit the other; and they took turns +until the St. Nicholas doll was all gone. + +Then they took the four others, said good-bye to the good Vrouw, +and went back to Father's stall. They found that Father had sold +all his things and was ready to go home. + +They carried their empty baskets back to the boat, and soon were +on their way home. The Twins sat on one seat, holding tight to +their dolls, which were growing rather sticky. + +The boat was so light that they went home from market much more +quickly than they had come, and it did not seem long before they +saw their own house. There it was, with its mossy roof half +hidden among the trees, and Vrouw Vedder waiting for them at the +gate. + +Dinner was all ready, and the Twins set the four St. Nicholas +dolls in a row, in the middle of the table. + +"There's one for Father, and one for Mother, and one for Kat, and +one for me," said Kit. + +"O Mother," said Kat, "Kit can think! He thought just how many +dolls he could buy when they were one for one cent! Isn't it fine +that he can do that?" + +"You've learned a great deal at the market," said Vrouw Vedder. +But Kit didn't say a word. He just looked proud and pleased and +put his hands in his pockets. + +"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called +Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw +Vedder. + +"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat. "Can't I go?" + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder. "Girls shouldn't think much. It isn't +good for them. Leave thinking to the men. You can stay at home +and help me." + + + + +III + +MOTHER'S DAY + + +"Yesterday was a very long day," said Vrouw Vedder on the morning +after Market Day. "You were gone such a long time." + +Kat gave her mother a great hug. + +"We'll stay with you all day to-day, Mother," she said. "Won't we, +Kit?" + +"Yes," said Kit; and he hugged her too. + +"And we'll help you just as much as we helped Father yesterday. +Won't we, Kit?" + +"More," said Kit. + +"I shouldn't wonder!" said Father. + +"I shall be glad of help," said Vrouw Vedder, "because Grandma is +coming, and I want everything to be very clean and tidy when she +comes. I'm going first to the pasture to milk the cow. You can go +with me and keep the flies away. That will be a great help." + +Vrouw Vedder put a yoke across her shoulders, with hooks hanging +from each end of it. Then she hung a large pail on one of the +hooks, and a brass milk can on the other. She gave Kat a little +pail to carry, and Kit took some switches from the willow tree in +the yard, with which to drive away the flies. Then they all three +started down the road to the pasture. + +Pretty soon they came to a little bridge over the canal, which +they had to cross. + +"Oh, dear," said Kat, looking down at the water, "I'm scared!" +You see, there was no railing at all to take hold of, and the +bridge was quite narrow. + +"Ho! 'Fraidy cat!" said Kit. "I'll go first and show you how." + +"And I'll walk behind you," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kat walked very slowly and held on hard to her pail, and so she +got over the bridge safely. + +"When I'm four feet and a half high, I'm going to jump over the +canal on a jumping pole," said Kit. + +"O how brave you are!" said Kat. "I should be scared. And besides +I'm afraid I should drop my shoes in the water." + +"Well, of course," said Kit, "boys can do a great many things +that girls can't do." + +When they reached the pasture, there was Mevrouw Holstein waiting +for them. Mevrouw Holstein was the cow's name. Kit and Kat named +her. + +Vrouw Vedder tucked up her skirts--and that was quite a task, for +she wore a great many of them--and sat down on a little stool. +Kit and Kat stood beside her and waved their willow wands and +said "Shoo!" to the flies; and Vrouw Vedder began to milk. + +Mevrouw Holstein had eaten so much of the green meadow grass that +Vrouw Vedder filled both the big pail and the brass can, and the +little pail too, with rich milk. + +"I shall have milk enough to make butter and cheese," said Vrouw +Vedder. "There are no cows like our Dutch cows in all the world, +I believe." + +"O Mother, are you going to churn to-day?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said the Vrouw, "I have cream enough at home to make a +good roll of butter, and you may help me if you will be very +careful and work steadily." + +"I will be very steady," said Kat. "I'm big enough now to learn." + +"All Dutch girls must know how to make good butter and cheese," +said Vrouw Vedder. + +"And boys can drink the buttermilk," said Kit. + +"I'll drink some too," said Kat. + +"There'll be plenty for both," said their mother. + +When she had finished milking, Vrouw Vedder shook out her skirts, +put the yoke across her shoulders again and lifted the large pail +of milk. She hung it on one of the hook and the brass milk can on +the other. Kat took the small pail, and they started back home. +The milk was quite heavy, so they walked slowly. + +They had crossed the bridge and were just turning down the road, +when what should they see but their old goose and gander walking +along the road, followed by six little goslings! + +"O Mother, Mother," screamed Kat; "there is the old goose that we +haven't seen for so long! She has stolen her nest and hatched out +six little geese all her own! They are taking them to the canal +to swim." + +"Quick, Kit, quick!" said Vrouw Vedder. "Don't let them go into +the canal! We must drive them home." + +Kit ran boldly forward in front of them, and Kat ran too. She +spilled some of the milk; but she was in such a hurry that she +never knew it, until afterwards, when she found some in her +wooden shoes! + +"K-s-s-s!" said the old goose; and she ran straight for the Twins +with her mouth open and her wings spread! The old gander ran at +them too. I can't begin to tell you how scared Kat was then! She +stood right still and screamed. + +Kit was scared too; but he stood by Kat, like a brave boy, and +shook his willow switches at the geese, and shouted "Shoo! Shoo!" +just as he did at the flies. + +Vrouw Vedder set her pails down in the road and came up behind, +flapping her apron. Then the old goose and the gander and all the +little goslings started slowly along the road for home, saying +cross words in Goose talk all the way! + +Father Vedder was working in the garden, when the procession came +down the road. First came the geese, looking very indignant, and +the goslings. Then came Kit with the leaves all whipped off his +willow switches. Then came Kat with her pail; and, last of all, +Vrouw Vedder and the milk! + +When the new family of geese had been taken care of, and the +fresh milk had been put away to cool, Vrouw Vedder got out her +churn and scalded it well. Then she put in her cream, and put the +cover down over the handle of the dasher. + +"Now, Kit and Kat, you may take turns," she said, "and see which +one of you can bring the butter, but be sure you work the dasher +very evenly or the butter will not be good." + +"Me first!" said Kat, and she began. Kit sat on a little stool +and watched for the butter. + +Kat worked the dasher up and down, up and down. The cream +splashed and splashed inside the churn, and a little white ring +of spatters came up around the dasher. Kat worked until her arms +ached. + +"Now it's my turn," said Kit. Then he poked the dasher, and the +cream splashed and splashed for quite a long time; but still the +butter did not come. + +"Ho!" said Kat. "You're nothing but a boy. Of course you don't +know how to churn. Let me try." And she took her turn. + +Dash! Splash! Splash, dash! She worked away; and very soon, +around the dasher, there was a ring of little specks of butter. + + "Come, butter, come! Come, butter, come! + Some for a honey cake, and some for a bun," + +she sang in time to the dasher; and truly, when Vrouw Vedder +opened the churn, there was a large cake of yellow butter! + +Vrouw Vedder took out the butter and worked it into a nice roll. +Then she gave each of the Twins a cup of buttermilk to drink. + +While the Twins drank the buttermilk, their mother washed the +churn and put it away. When she was all through, it was still +quite early in the morning, because they had gotten up with the +sun. + +"Now we must clean the house," she said. + +So she got out her scrubbing-brushes, and mops, and pails, and +dusters, and began. + +First she shook out the pillows of the best bed, that nobody ever +slept in, and pushed back the curtains so that the embroidered +coverlet could be seen. Then she put the other beds in order and +drew the curtains in front of them. + +She dusted the linen press and left it open just a little, so +that her beautiful rolls of white linen, tied with ribbons, would +show. Kat dusted the chairs, and Kit carried the big brass jugs +outside the kitchen door to be polished. + +Then they all three rubbed and scoured and polished them until +they shone like the sun. + +"Now it is time to cook the dinner," said Vrouw Vedder. "We will +have pork and potatoes and some cabbage. Kit, run to the garden +and bring a cabbage; and Kat, you may get the fire ready to cook +it, when Kit brings it in." + +Kat went to the stove--but it was such a funny stove! It wasn't a +stove at all, really. + +There was a sort of table built up against the chimney. It was +all covered with pretty blue tiles, with pictures of boats on +them. Over this table, there was a shelf, like a mantel shelf. +There were plates on it, and from the bottom of the shelf hung +some chains with hooks on them. The coals were right out on the +little table. + +Kat took the bellows and--puff, puff, puff!--made the coals burn +brighter. She peeped in the kettle to see that there was water in +it. Then she put some more charcoal on the fire. + +Kit brought in the cabbage, and Vrouw Vedder cut it up and put it +into the pot of water hanging over the fire. She put the pork and +potatoes in too. + +In a little while the pot was bubbling away merrily; and Father +Vedder, who was in the garden, sniffed the air and said, + +"I know what we are going to have for dinner." + +While the pot boiled, Vrouw Vedder scrubbed the floor and wiped +the window, then she took her brooms and scrubbing-brush outside. + +She scrubbed the door and the outside of the house. She scrubbed +the little pig with soap. The little pig squealed, because she +got some soap in its eyes. She scrubbed the steps--and even the +trunk of the poplar tree in the yard! She scrubbed everything in +sight, except Father Vedder and the Twins! By and by she came to +the door and called, + +"Come to dinner! Only be sure to leave your wooden shoes outside, +when you come into my clean kitchen." + +Here are the shoes, just as they left them, all in a row. And as +it was Saturday, the shoes were scrubbed too, that night. + +When the dinner was cleared away, Vrouw Vedder said to the Twins, + +"It is almost time for Grandmother to come. Let's walk out to +meet her." + +They walked clear to the edge of the town before they saw her coming. +They walked on top of the dyke, so they could look right down into the +street, and see all the houses in a row. Grandmother was coming up the +street with a basket on her arm. + +"What do you think is in that basket?" Vrouw Vedder asked the +Twins. + +"Honey cake!" said Kit; and Kat said, "Candy!" + +And Kit and Kat were both right. There was a large honey cake and +anise candies, and some currant buns besides! + +Grandmother let them peep in and see. They were very polite and +did not ask for any--Vrouw Vedder was proud of the Twins' good +manners. Grandmother said, + +"This afternoon, when we have tea, you shall have some." + +"I'm glad I ate such a lot of dinner," said Kit to Kat, as they +walked along; "or else I'd just have to have a bun this minute!" + +"Yes," said Kat, "it's much easier to be polite when you aren't +hungry." + +When they got home, Kit and Kat took their Grandmother to see the +new goslings, and to see the ducklings too. And Vrouw Vedder +showed her the butter that Kit and Kat had helped to churn; and +Grandmother said, + +"My, my! What helpers they are getting to be!" Then she said, +"How clean the house is!" and then, "How the brasses shine!" + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder; "the Twins helped me make everything +clean and tidy to show to you." + +"I guess it's time for honey cake," said Grandmother. + +Then Vrouw Vedder stirred up the fire again and boiled the kettle +and made tea. She took down her best china cups and put them out +on the round table. + +Then Grandmother opened her basket and took out the honey cake +and buns and the candy; and Vrouw Vedder brought out her fresh +butter. + +"I can't stay polite much longer," said Kit to Kat. + +Grandmother gave them each a thin slice of honey cake and a bun; +and Vrouw Vedder spread some of the butter on the buns--and oh, +how good they were! + + "Some for a honey cake, + And some for a bun," + +sang Kat. It didn't take the Twins long to finish them. + +When they had drunk their tea, Grandmother brought out her +knitting, and Mother Vedder began to spin. + +"How many rolls of linen have you ready for Kat when she +marries?" Grandmother asked. + +"I try to make at least one roll each year; so she has four now +and I am working on the fifth one," said Vrouw Vedder. "She shall +be as well-to-do as any farmer's daughter near here, when she +marries. See, this is the last one," and Vrouw Vedder took from +the press a roll of beautiful white linen tied with blue ribbons. + +"Is that for me, Mother?" asked Kat. + +"Yes," said Vrouw Vedder. "When you marry, we shall have a fine +press full of linen for you." + +"Isn't Kit going to have some too?" asked Kat. + +Grandmother laughed. + +"The mother of the little girl who will some day marry Kit, is +working now on her linen, no doubt; so Kit won't need any of +yours." + +The Twins looked very solemn and went out into the yard. They sat +down on the bench by the kitchen door together. Then Kat said, + +"Kit, do you suppose we've got to be married?" + +"It looks like it," said Kit. + +Things seemed very dark indeed to the Twins. + +"Well," said Kat, "I just tell you I'm not going to do it. I'm +going to stay at home with Mother and Father, and you and the +ducks and everything!" + +"What will they do with the linen then?" said Kit. "I guess +you'll have to be married." + +Kat began to cry. + +"I'll just go and ask Mother," she said. + +"I'll go with you," said Kit. "I don't want to any more than you +do." + +So the Twins got down from the bench and went into the kitchen +where Grandmother and Vrouw Vedder were. + +Their mother was spinning flax to make linen thread. + +"Mother," said the Twins, "will you please excuse us from being +married." + +"O my soul!" said Vrouw Vedder. She seemed surprised. + +"We don't want to at all," said Kat. "We'd rather stay with you." + +"You shan't be married until after you are four feet and a half +high and are called Christopher and Katrina anyway," said Vrouw +Vedder. "I promise you that." + +The Twins were much relieved. They went out and fed their +ducklings. They felt so much better that they gave them an extra +handful of grain, and they carried a bun to Father Vedder, who +was hoeing in the farthest corner of the garden. He ate it, +leaning on his hoe. + +When they went back to the house, it was late in the afternoon. +Grandmother was rolling up her knitting. + +"I must go home to Grandfather;" she said. "He'll be wanting his +supper." + +The Twins walked down the road as far as the first bridge with +Grandmother. There she kissed them good-bye and sent them home. + +When their mother put them to bed that night, Kat said, + +"Has this been a short day, Mother?" + +"Oh, very short!" said Vrouw Vedder, "because you helped me so +much." + +Then she kissed them good-night and went out to feed the pigs, +and shut up the chickens for the night. + +When she was gone, Kit said, + +"I don't see how they got along before we came. We help so much!" + +"No," said Kat; "I don't think--" But what she didn't think, no +one will ever know, because just then she popped off to sleep. + + + + +IV + +ONE SUNDAY + + +One Sunday morning in early fall, Kit and Kat woke up and peeped +out from their cupboard bed to see what was going on in the +world. + +The sun was shining through the little panes of the kitchen +window, making square patches of light on the floor. The kettle +was singing on the fire, and Vrowv Vedder was already putting +away the breakfast things. + +Father Vedder was lighting his pipe with a coal from the fire. He +had on his black Sunday clothes, all ready for church. Father +Vedder did not look at Kit and Kat at all. He just puffed away at +his pipe and said to himself, + +"If there are any Twins anywhere that want to go to church with +me, they'd better get dressed and eat their breakfasts." + +Kit and Kat tumbled out of the cupboard at once. + +Vrouw Vedder came to help them dress. + +I can't tell you how many petticoats she put on Kat, but it was +ever so many. And over them all she put a skirt of plaid. There +was a waist of a different color, and over that a kerchief with +bright red roses on it. And over the skirt she put a new, clean +apron. + +Kit was dressed very splendidly too. He had full baggy trousers +of velveteen that reached to his ankles, and a jacket that +buttoned with big silver buttons. His trousers had pockets in +them. + +Kit and Kat both wore stockings, which Vrouw Vedder had knit, and +their best shoes of stout leather. + +When they were all dressed, Vrouw Vedder stood them up side by +side and had them turn around slowly to be sure they were all +right. + +"Now see that you behave well in meeting," she said. "Sit up +straight. Look at the Dominie, and do not whisper." + +"Yes, Mother," said Kit and Kat. + +Then she tied a big apron over each of them and gave them each a +bowl of bread and milk. While they were eating it, Father Vedder +went out and looked at the pigs, and chickens, and ducks, and +geese, and smoked his pipe. + +When he came in, Kit and Kat were quite ready. Vrouw Vedder had +tied on Kat's little white-winged cap, and put Kit's hat on. She +kissed them good-bye, and they were off, one on each side of +Father Vedder, holding tight to his hands. + +Mother Vedder looked after them proudly, from the doorway. She +did not go to church that day. + +They walked slowly along the roadway in the bright sunshine. Many +of their neighbors and friends, all dressed in their best, were +walking to church, too. + +Father Vedder and Kit and Kat went a little out of their way, in +order to pass a large windmill that was swinging its arms around +and creaking out a kind of sleepy windmill song. This is the song +it seemed to sing: + + Around, and around, and around, I go, + Sometimes fast and sometimes slow. + I pump the water and grind the grain, + The marshy fields of the Lowlands, drain. + I harness the wind to turn my mill, + Around, and around, and around with a will! + +Perhaps it was listening to the windmill song that made Kat say, + +"Why do we have windmills, father?" + +Kit and Kat said "Why?" every few steps on that walk. You see, +they didn't often have their father all to themselves, to ask +questions of. + +"Why, what a little Dutch girl," said Father Vedder, "not to know +what windmills are for! They pump the water out of the fields, to +be sure! Don't you know how wet the fields are sometimes? If we +didn't keep pumping the water out, they would be so wet we could +not make gardens at all." + +"Does the wind pump the water?" asked Kat. + +"Of course it does, goosie girl! and grinds the grain too. The +wind blows against the great arms and turns them round and round. +That works the pumps; and the pumps suck the water out of the +fields, and it is poured out into the canals. If it weren't for +the good old windmills working away, who knows but the water +would get the best of us some day and cover up all our land!" + +"Wouldn't the dykes keep out the sea?" asked Kit. + +"Suppose the dykes should break!" said Father Vedder. "Even one +little break can let in lots of water. The dykes have to be +watched day and night all the time, and the least bit of a hole +stopped up right away, so it can't grow any bigger and let in the +sea." + +"Oh dear," Kat said, "what a leaky country!" + +She ran near the mill and let the wind from the fans blow her +hair and the white wings on her cap. + +As the great fans swung near the ground, Kit jumped up and caught +hold of one. It lifted him right off the ground as it swung +around, and in a minute he was dangling high in the air. + +"Jump, jump, quick," shouted Father Vedder. + +Kit let go and dropped to the ground just in time. In another +minute he would have been carried clear over. + +As it was, he sat down very hard on the ground, and had to have +the dirt brushed off of his Sunday clothes. + +"I am surprised at you," Father Vedder said, while he brushed +him. "You are too small to swing on windmills, and besides it is +the Sabbath day. Don't you ever do it again until you are big +enough to be called Christopher!" + +Sitting down so hard in the dirt had hurt Kit a little bit, and +scared him a good deal, so he said, "No, father." + +Then they walked all around the mill. They peeped inside a door +which was open, and saw the pumps working away. + +"Yes," said Father Vedder, "it is nip and tuck between wind and +water in Holland. Let us sit down here on the canal bank, in the +sunshine, and I will tell you what hard work has to be done to +keep this good land of ours. And it is a good land! We should be +thankful for it! Just see the rich green meadows over there, with +the cows grazing in them!" Father Vedder pointed to the +beautiful fields across the canal. "The grass is so rich and +fresh, that the cows here give more milk than any other cows in +the whole world!" + +"That's what Mother says," said Kat. + +"The Holland butter and cheese are famous everywhere," went on +Father Vedder; "and we have all the good milk we want to drink, +besides. The Dutch gardens, too, are the finest in the world." + +"And ours is one of the best of Dutch gardens, isn't it, Father?" +said Kit. + +"It's a very good garden," said Father Vedder, proudly. "No one +can raise better onions and cabbage and carrots than I can. And +the Dutch bulbs! Our tulips and hyacinths make the whole world +bloom!" + +"Holland is really the greatest country there is; isn't it?" said +Kit. + +"Well, not in point of size, perhaps," Father Vedder admitted; +"but in pluck, my boy, it is! Did you know that sometimes people +call Holland the Land of Pluck?" + +"I don't see why," said Kat. "I'm Dutch, but I'm afraid of lots +of things! I'm afraid of spiders and of cross geese, and of +falling into the water!" + +"You're a girl, if you are Dutch," said Kit. "Boys are always +pluckier than girls; aren't they, Father?" + +"Really plucky people never boast," said Father Vedder. + +Kit looked the other way and dug the toe of his shoe into the +dirt. Kat snuggled up to her Father and sniffed at Kit. + +"So there, Kit!" was all she said. + +"There's pluck enough to go round," said Father Vedder mildly, +"and we all need it boys and girls, and men and women too. It +was pluck that made Holland, and it's pluck that keeps her from +slipping back into the sea." + +"How did pluck make Holland?" asked Kit. + +"There wasn't any Holland in the first place," Father Vedder +answered. "There were only some marshes and some lands under +water. But people built a wall of earth around these flats; and +then they pumped out the water from the space inside the wall, +and made canals through the land, and drained it. And after all +that work, we have our rich fields." + +"How does pluck keep them?" asked Kat. + +"The dykes have to be watched and mended all the time," said +Father Vedder. "And the windmills have to work and work, to keep +the fields drained. No one can be lazy in Holland. Each one has +to work well for what he gets. If Holland should grow lazy, she +would soon be back again in the Zuyder Zee! So, my children, you +see you must learn well and work hard. And that is all my sermon +to-day." + +"It is a better sermon than the Dominie will preach, I know," +said Kat. + +"Tut, tut! You must never say such things," said Father Vedder. +He got up and held out his hands to the Twins. + +"Come! we must walk along, or we shall be late for church," he +said. "Here comes the Dominie now." + +There indeed was the Dominie! Kit and Kat knew him well. No one +else dressed as he did. He wore a high silk hat, and long, black +coat and trousers, such as city people wear. + +As he came along the road, all the people bowed respectfully; the +little boys took off their caps, and the little girls bobbed a +courtesy. Kit and Kat bobbed and courtesied too, and the Dominie +smiled at them and laid his hand on Kit's head. + +"I wish he'd come to see us again," said Kit, after the Dominie +had passed by. + +Father Vedder was pleased. + +"I am glad to see that you love your pastor, my son," he said. + +"Well," said Kit, "I don't really like him so very much, because +we have to be washed, and recite the catechism, and mind all our +manners when he comes. But Mother always has such good things to +eat when the Dominie comes--doesn't she, Kat?--cake and preserves +and everything!" + +"If it weren't for the catechism and such things, it would be +something like St. Nicholas day!" sighed Kat. "But the Dominie +never forgets! And last time I couldn't tell what saving grace +was! The cakes are good, but..." + +"Good Dutch boys and girls always learn their catechism well," +said Father Vedder; "then they are glad to see the good Dominie +as well as the cakes. Now no more chatter! Here is a penny for +each of you to put in the bag when it is passed." + +He gave them each a penny. Kit put his in his pocket. Kat didn't +have a pocket, so she held hers tight in her hand. + +At the church door they met Grandfather and Grandmother. + +Grandfather looked very fine indeed, in his black clothes; and +Grandmother was all dressed up in her best black dress, with a +fresh white cap, and a shawl over her shoulders. She carried a +large psalm book with golden clasps in one hand, and a scent +bottle in the other. She had some peppermints too. Kit and Kat +smelled them. + +They all went into the church together, and an old woman led them +to their seats. Kit and Kat sat one on each side of Grandmother. +Grandfather and Father Vedder sat on the other side of the church +with all the rest of the men. + +"You must sit very still and look straight before you," said +Grandmother. + +Kit remembered the peppermints and sat up like a soldier. So did +Kat. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came in and went up into the pulpit. +He read a chapter from the Bible, and then the Dominie stood up +in the pulpit and began to preach. He preached a long time. + +Kit and Kat tried very hard to sit still, just as Grandmother had +said; but pretty soon their heads began to nod. + +Grandmother gave them each a peppermint. + +They waked up for a minute. But the Dominie kept right on +preaching, until they were both sound asleep with their heads on +Grandmother's shoulders, one on each side; and if they had been +awake to see, they might have thought that Grandmother took a nap +too. + +The sermon was so very long that a great many people went to +sleep. So, by and by, the Dominie said, + +"We will all sing the Ninety-first Psalm." + +Everybody woke up. + +Grandmother opened the great golden clasps of her psalm book, and +stood up with all the rest of the people. She stood up quickly, +so that no one would think she had been asleep. She forgot that +the Twins were asleep too, with their heads on her shoulders. +That was why, when she got up, Kit and Kat fell against each +other and bumped their heads! + +They forgot that they were in church. They said "Ow!" both +together, and Kat began to cry. But Grandmother said "Sh! sh!" +and gave them each a peppermint; and that made them feel much +better. + +Pretty soon the schoolmaster came along with a little bag on the +end of along stick. He passed it to each person. Kit and Kat each +put in a penny, though Kit had a hard time to get his out of his +pocket. But Grandmother was so upset about the Twins getting +bumped, that she forgot and put in a peppermint instead. + +When church was over and they were out on the street again, +Grandmother said, + +"Now you are coming home with me to stay all night." + +"Really and truly?" said the Twins. "And may we go with +Grandfather to carry the milk in the morning?" + +"Yes," said Grandfather, "and Kit may drive the dogs." + +Kit jumped right up and down, he was so happy, even if it was +Sunday. + +"May I too? May I too?" asked Kat. + +"You are a girl," said Grandfather. "You may ride in the wagon." + +"Oh, I wish to-morrow would come right away," said Kat. + +Then Kit and Kat said good-bye to Father Vedder and went home +with Grandmother and Grandfather. + +They lived on a little street in the town, where the houses stood +in a row close together. The houses were built of brick and had +wooden shutters at the windows, and they were so clean they shone +in the sun. + +This is a picture of Grandmother's house and of Grandmother and +Kit and Kat going in. The door opened right into the kitchen. + +Grandmother put away her shawl and psalm book and scent bottle as +soon as she was home. Then she put on a big apron and drew out +the round table. + +She boiled the kettle and made coffee; and, when it was done, she +set the coffee pot on a pretty little porcelain stove on the +table to keep hot. She got out bread and cheese and smoked beef +and, best of all, a plate of little cakes. + +Then they all four sat down to eat. I will not tell you how many +cakes Kit and Kat ate, but it was a good many. + +After dinner, Grandmother put away the things, and Kat helped +her. + +Kit sat beside Grandfather in the doorway while he smoked. Pretty +soon Grandfather said, + +"Bring me my accordeon, Kit." + +Kit ran to the press in the corner. He knew where the accordeon +was kept. + +Then Grandfather took the accordeon, tipped his head back, shut +his eyes and began to play, beating time with one foot. Kat heard +the music and came out too. + +She and Kit sat down on the doorstep, one on each side of +Grandfather, to listen. + +Grandfather played six tunes. + +Then Grandmother said, + +"Why don't we go to the woods to hear the band play?" + +"No reason at all," said Grandfather. So very soon they were on +their way to a grove on the edge of the town. + +In the grove a band was playing; and just as the Twins and +Grandfather and Grandmother came up, it began to play the national +hymn of Holland. All the people began to sing. There were a great +many people in the grove, and they all sang as aloud as they +could; so there was a great sound. Grandfather and Grandmother +and Kit and Kat all sang too; for they all knew every word of the +hymn. + +This is what they sang: + + Let him in whom old Dutch blood flows, + Untainted, free and strong; + Whose heart for Prince and Country glows, + Now join us in our song; + Let him with us lift up his voice, + And sing in patriot band, + The song at which all hearts rejoice, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + We brothers, true unto a man, + Will sing the old song yet; + Away with him who ever can + His Prince or Land forget! + A human heart glowed in him ne'er, + We turn from him our hand, + Who callous hears the song and prayer, + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Preserve, O God, the dear old ground + Thou to our fathers gave; + The land where we a cradle found, + And where we'll find a grave! + We call, O Lord, to Thee on high, + As near death's door we stand, + Oh! Safety, blessing to our cry + For Prince and Fatherland, + For Prince and Fatherland. + + Loud ring thro' all rejoicings here, + Our prayer, O Lord, to Thee; + Preserve our Prince, his house so dear + To Holland great and free! + From youth thro' life, be this our song, + Till near to death we stand: + O God, preserve our sov'reign long, + Our Prince and Fatherland, + Our Prince and Fatherland. + +Now, while the people were singing with all their might, and the +band was playing, and Kit and Kat were having the most beautiful +time they had ever had in their whole lives, what do you think +happened? + +Down the long drive through the trees came a great, splendid +carriage, drawn by a pair of beautiful white horses with wavy +white tails and manes. There were two soldiers on horseback +riding in front of the carriage, and the driver of the carriage +was dressed in blue and orange livery. + +The carriage was open, and in it sat a beautiful, smiling young +lady. Beside her sat her husband; and a nurse, in the other seat, +held a baby in her arms. + +When the people saw the carriage and the lady, they waved their +caps and shouted, "Long live the Queen!" + +"Look! Look! Kit and Kat," said Grandfather. "It is your dear +Queen Wilhelmina, and Prince Henry and the little Princess! Wave +your hands!" + +Kit and Kat waved with all their might, but they were so short, +and the people crowded beside the driveway so, that neither of +them could see. Then Grandfather caught Kit and lifted him up +high, and Grandmother did the same with Kat. + +It was fine to be up so high. Kit and Kat could see everything +better than anyone else there. And when the carriage came by, the +queen saw Kit and Kat! She smiled at them, and the nurse held the +little Princess up high for them to see! Kit and Kat threw kisses +to the little Princess; and the Princess waved her baby hand to +Kit and Kat; and then they were all gone, like a bright dream. + +But the soldiers were better to see even than queens, Kit +thought. Kat thought the baby, any baby, was nicer than either. + +When the carriage was out of sight, Grandfather and Grandmother +set the Twins down on the ground. Everyone began to talk about +the Queen, about how sweet she was, and how good; and the band +played, and everybody was as happy as they could possibly be. + +By and by it was time to go home; for, Grandfather said, "Dutch +girls and boys must learn to get up early in the morning, +especially Twins that are going out with the milk cart." + +So they went back to Grandfather Winkle's house; and Grandmother +put them to bed in a little cupboard like their own at home, +after they had had some supper. And the last thing Kat said that +night was, + +"O Kit, just to think that to-day we saw the Queen and the +soldiers, and the Queen's baby, and to-morrow we are going to +drive in the milk cart! What a beautiful world it is!" + +Just as they were dropping off to sleep, they heard a great noise +in the street. + +"Clap, clap, clap," it sounded, eight times. + +"There goes the Klapper man," said Grandmother Winkle. "Eight +o'clock, and time all honest folk were abed." + + + + +V + +THE DAY THEY DROVE THE MILK CART + + +The next morning Kit and Kat woke up very early, without any +one's calling them. You see, they were afraid they would be too +late to go with the milk cart. + +But Grandfather Winkle had only just gone out to get the milk +ready, and they had plenty of time to dress while Grandmother got +breakfast. Grandmother helped with the buttons and the hard +parts. + +Grandmother Winkle's kitchen was quite like the kitchen at home, +only a little nicer. It had red tiles on the floor; and it had +ever so many blue plates hanging around on the walls, and +standing on edge in a row on the shelves. There was a warming-pan +with a bright brass cover, hanging on the wall; and I wish you +could have seen the pillows and the coverlet on the best bed! + +Grandmother Winkle had embroidered those all herself, and she was +very proud of them. When she had company, she always drew the +curtains back so that her beautiful bed would be seen. She said +that Kit and Kat were company, and she always left the curtains +open when they came to visit her. + +When the Twins were all dressed, Grandmother said, + +"Mercy sakes! You have on your best clothes! Now that's just like +a man to promise to take you out in your best clothes in a milk +wagon! Whatever was Grandfather thinking about!" + +Kit and Kat thought she was going to say that they couldn't go, +so they dug their knuckles in their eyes and began to cry. But +they hadn't got farther than the first whimper when Grandmother +said, + +"Well, well, we must fix it somehow. Don't cry now, that's a good +Kit and Kat." So the Twins took their knuckles out of their eyes +and began to smile. + +Grandmother went to the press and brought out two aprons. One was +a very small apron. It wouldn't reach to Kit's knees. But she put +it on him and tied it around his waist. + +"This was your Uncle Jan's when he was a little boy," she said. +"It's pretty small, but it will help some." + +Kit wished that Uncle Jan had taken it with him when he went to +America. But he didn't say so. + +Then Grandmother took another apron out of the press. It looked +as if it had been there a long time. + +"Kat, you must wear this," she said. "It was your mother's when +she was a little girl." + +Now, this apron was all faded, and it had patches on it of +different kinds of cloth. Kat looked at her best dress. Then she +looked at the apron. Then she thought about the milk cart. She +wondered if she wanted to go in the milk cart badly enough to +wear that apron over her Sunday dress! She stuck her finger in +her mouth and looked sidewise at Grandmother Winkle. + +Grandmother didn't say a word. She just looked firm and held up +the apron. + +Very soon Kat came slowly--very slowly--and Grandmother buttoned +the apron up behind, and that was the end of that. + +The Twins could hardly eat any breakfast, they were in such a +hurry to go. As soon as they had taken the last spoonful, and +Grandfather Winkle had finished his coffee, they ran out into the +place where the dogs were kept, to help Grandfather harness them. + +There were two black and white dogs. Their names were Peter and +Paul. + +The wagon was small, just the right size for the dogs; and it was +painted blue. The bright brass cans full of milk were already in; +and there was a little seat for Kat to sit on. + +When the last strap was fastened, Grandfather lifted Kat up and +set her on the seat. She held on with both hands. + +Then Grandfather gave the lines to Kit, and a little stick for a +whip, and told him to walk slowly along beside the dogs. He told +him to be sure not to let go of the lines. + +Grandfather walked behind, carrying some milk cans. + +Grandmother stood in the door to see them off; and, as they +started away, Kat took one hand off the cart long enough to wave +it to her. Then she held on again; for the bricks in the pavement +made the cart joggle a good deal. + +"We must go first to Vrouw de Vet," Grandfather called out. "She +takes one quart of milk. Go slowly." + +At first Kit went slowly. But pretty soon there was a great +rattling behind him; and Hans Hite, a boy he knew, drove right +past him with his dog cart! He drove fast; and, as he passed Kit, +he stuck out his tongue and called out, + + "Milk for sale! Milk for sale! + A milk cart drawn by a pair of snails!" + +Kit forgot all about going slowly. + +"Get up!" he said to the dogs, and he touched them with his long +stick. + +Peter and Paul "got up." They jumped forward and began to run! + +Kit ran as fast as his legs would go beside the dogs, holding the +lines. But the dogs had four legs apiece, and Kit had only two; +so you see he couldn't keep up very well. + +Kat began to scream the moment that Peter and Paul began to run. +The dogs thought that something that made a dreadful noise was +after them, and they ran faster than ever. You see, Grandfather +Winkle never in the world screamed like that, and Peter and Paul +didn't know what to make of it. So they ran and ran and ran. + +Kat held on the best she could, but she bounced up ever so far in +the air every time the cart struck a bump in the street. So did +the milk cans; and when they came down again, the milk splashed +out. + +Kat didn't always come down in the same spot. All the spots were +hard, so it didn't really matter much which one she struck as she +came down. + +But Kat didn't think about that; she just screamed. And Peter and +Paul ran and ran, and Kit ran and ran, until he couldn't run any +more; he just sat down hard on the pavement and slid along. But +he didn't let go of the lines! + +When Kit sat down, it jerked the dogs so hard that they stopped +suddenly. But Kat didn't stop; she went right on. She flew out +over the front of the cart and landed on the ground, among all of +Peter and Paul's legs! Then she stopped going, but she didn't +stop screaming. + +And, though Kit was a boy, he screamed some too. Then Peter and +Paul pointed their noses up in the air and began to howl. + +Way back, ever so far, Grandfather was coming along as fast as he +could; but that wasn't very fast. + +All the doors on the street flew open, and all the good +housewives came clattering out to see what was the matter. They +picked Kat up and told her not to cry, and wiped her eyes with +their aprons, and stood Kit on his feet, and patted the dogs; and +pretty soon Peter and Paul stopped barking, and Kit and Kat +stopped screaming, and then it was time to find out what had +really happened. + +Neither of the Twins had any broken bones; the good housewives +wiggled all their arms and legs, and felt of their bones to see. +But shocking things had happened, nevertheless! Kat had torn a +great hole in the front of her best dress; and Kit had worn two +round holes in the seat of his Sunday clothes, where he slid +along on the pavement; and, besides that, the milk was slopped +all over the bottom of the cart! + +Just then Grandfather came up. If it hadn't been that his pipe +was still in his mouth, I really don't know what he might not +have said! He looked at the cart, and he looked at the Twins. +Then he took his pipe out of his mouth and said sternly to Kit, + +"Why didn't you do as I told you?" + +"I did," said Kit, very much scared. "You told me to be sure to +hold tight to the lines, and I did! I never let go once." + +"Yes, and look at his clothes," said one of the women. She turned +him around and showed Grandfather the holes. + +"I told you to go slowly," said Grandfather. "Now look at the +cart, and see what you've done by not minding, spoiled your best +clothes and Kat's, and spilled the milk! Go back to Grandmother." + +"But I couldn't mind twice at one time," said Kit. "I was minding +about not letting go." + +"Oh dear," sobbed Kat, "I wish we were four and a half feet high +now! If we were, this never would have happened." + +Grandfather took the dogs and went on to Vrouw de Vets, without +another word. + +The Twins took each other's hands, and walked back to +Grandmother's house. Quite a number of little boys and girls in +wooden shoes clattered along with them. Grandmother heard all the +noise, and ran to the door to see what was the matter. + +"Laws a mercy me, I told you so!" she cried, the moment she saw +them. "Look at your clothes! See how you've torn them!" + +"I can't see the holes in mine," said Kit. + +"But I can," said Kat. And then all the children talked at once; +and what with wooden shoes and the tongues all going, Grandmother +clapped her hands over her ears to shut out the noise. Then she +took Kit and Kat into the kitchen and shut the door. She put on +her glasses and got down on the floor so she could see better. + +Then she turned Kit and Kat all around and looked at the holes. +"O! my soul!" she said. She took off the aprons and the torn +clothes and put the Twins to bed while she mended. + +She got out a pair of Grandfather's oldest velveteen breeches +that had been patched a great deal, and found a good piece to +patch with. Then she patched the holes in Kit's breeches so +neatly that one had to look very carefully indeed to see that +there had ever been any holes there at all. + +Then she patched Kat's dress; and, when it was all done, she +shook it out and said to herself, + +"Seems to me those Twins have been quiet for a long time." + +She went over to the cupboard bed; and there were Kit and Kat +fast asleep; with their cheeks all stained with tears and dirt. +Grandmother Winkle kissed them. Kit and Kat woke up, and +Grandmother dressed them in their Sunday clothes again, and +washed their faces and made them feel as good as new. + +By and by Grandfather Winkle came home from going about with the +milk. Grandmother Winkle scrubbed the cart and made it all clean +again; and by noon you would never have known, unless you had +looked very, very closely, much more closely than would be polite +that anything had happened to the Twins or the milk cart, or +their clothes or anything. + +After they had eaten their dinner, and the dogs were rested and +Grandfather had smoked his pipe he said, + +"Kit, if you think you can mind, I will take you and Kat both +home in the dog cart." Kit and Kat both nodded their heads very +hard. "Only, I'll do the driving myself," said Grandfather +Winkle. And he did. + +He put Kit and Kat both on the seat, and he walked slowly beside +the cart. They went out on the road beside the canal toward home. +They got there just as the sun was getting low in the west, and +Vrouw Vedder was going out to feed her chickens. + + + + +VI + +THE DAY THEY GOT THEIR SKATES + + +One morning, when Kit and Kat ran out early to feed their +ducklings, the frost nipped their noses and ears. + +"It's getting colder every day. Very soon winter will come," Kat +said. + +They ran down to the canal. The old goose and the gander and the +goslings--now half grown--were standing on the bank, looking +unhappy: there was a thin sheet of ice all over the canal, and +they could not go swimming. + +Kit took a stick and broke the ice. Thin sheets of it, like +pieces of broken glass, were soon floating about; and the old +goose, the gander, and all the goslings went down the bank in a +procession into the water. + +They swam about among the pieces of ice for a while, but it was +so cold that they soon came up on the bank into the sun again and +wiggled their tails to shake out the water. Then they all sat +down in the sun to get their feet warm. + +Kit and Kat ran up and down the road and played tag until their +cheeks were red and they were warm as toast. Then they ran into +Vrouw Vedder's warm kitchen. + +The kettle was singing on the fire, and there was a smell of +coffee in the air. Vrouw Vedder gave the Twins some in a large +cup. She put in a good deal of milk and gave them each a piece of +sugar to sweeten it with. + +"Is it Sunday?" asked Kat. On Sundays they sometimes had coffee. +On other days they had milk. + +"No," said Vrouw Vedder; "but it is cold, and I thought a cup of +coffee would warm us all up." + +While they were drinking their coffee, Kit and Kat talked about +the ice, and what fun they would have with their sleds on the +canals when winter came. + +"I tell you what it is, Kat," said Kit; "I think we're big enough +to have skates. Hans Hite isn't much bigger than I am, and he had +skates last winter. I mean to ask Father this very day." + +"Yah," said Kat--that is the way Dutch Twins always say yes-- +"Yah, and let us be very good and help mother all we can. I think +maybe they will give skates to good Twins quite soon, even if we +aren't very big yet--not big enough to be called Christopher and +Katrina." + +Vrouw Vedder was heating water and getting out her scrubbing +brushes, so Kit and Kat knew that she was going to clean +something. + +"What are you going to scrub to-day, Mother?" asked Kit. + +"I'm going to scrub the stable," said Vrouw Vedder. "It is +getting too cold for the cows to stay all night in the pastures. +Father means to bring Mevrouw Holstein in to-night, and I want +her stable to be nice and clean for her." + +"We'll help you," said Kit and Kat very politely. + +"Good children!" their mother said. "You may carry the brushes." +So they opened a door beside the fireplace, and walked right into +the stable. + +The stable was really a part of the house. There were two stalls +in the stable. Vrouw Vedder took her pails of water and her +brushes and began to scrub. She scrubbed the walls, and the sides +of the stalls, and the floor. The Twins scrubbed, too, until they +were tired; and the stable was so clean, you would have liked to +live there yourself. + +"Let's play out here," said Kat. "Let's play house." + +"All right," said Kit. "I'll be the father, and you be the +mother." + +"But who will be Twins?" said Kat. + +"Let's get the ducklings," said Kit. + +"They can be Twins, of course," said Kat. "They are, anyway." + +So Kit ran out and brought in the ducklings. They were so tame +they always ran to Kit and Kat, when they saw them coming. They +were almost ducks now, they had grown so big. + +"Let's give the Twins their dinner," said Kat. So she got some +grain, and they both sat down on a little box and held the ducks +in their laps and fed them from their hands. The ducks ate +greedily. + +"You have very bad manners," said Kat. "You will get your clothes +all dirty." She took two rags and tied them around the ducks' +necks for bibs. The ducks did not like bibs. They quacked. + +"Now don't say anything like that," said Kat. "You must do just +as you are told and not spill your food." + +Then Kit got some water and a spoon and gave the Twins a drink, +but they did not like the drink either. + +"Now we must put them to sleep," said Kat. They rocked the ducks +in their arms, but the ducks squawked dreadfully. + +"What bad children to cry so!" said Kit. "You can have both the +Twins"; and he gave his duck to Kat. + +"You fix a bed for them," said Kat. So Kit turned up the box they +had been sitting on, and put some hay in it; and they put the +ducks in on the hay. + +Pretty soon the ducks went to sleep. Kit and Kat ran away to play +out of doors and forgot all about them. + +They didn't think about them again until Father Vedder came home +at night with Mevrouw Holstein. When he put the cow into the +stall, he stumbled over the box. It was rather dark in the +stable. + +"Quack, quack!" said the ducks. + +Kit and Kat were helping Father put the cow into the stall and +get some hay for her. When the ducks quacked, Father Vedder said, + +"What in the world is this?" + +"Oh, our Twins! our Twins!" cried Kit and Kat. "Don't let Mevrouw +Holstein step on the Twins!" + +Father Vedder pulled out the box. Kit and Kat each took a duck +and carried it out to the poultry house. + +"Twins are a great care," said Kit and Kat. + +"Now is the time to ask," whispered Kat to Kit, that night, when +Father Vedder had finished his supper and was lighting his pipe. +"You must ask very politely, just the very politest way you +can." + +They went and stood before their father. They put their feet +together. Kit made a bow, and Kat bobbed a curtsy. + +"Dear parent," said Kit. + +"That's a good start," whispered Kat. "Go on." + +"Well, well, what now?" said Father Vedder. + +"Dear parent, Kat and I are quite big now. I think we must be +nearly four feet and a half high. Don't you think we are big +enough to have skates this winter?" + +"So that's it!" said Father Vedder. Then he smoked his pipe +again. + +"There was ice on the canal this morning," said Kat. + +"So you think you are big enough to skate, do you?" said Father +Vedder, at last. Mother Vedder was clearing away the supper. +"What do you think about it, Mother?" said Father Vedder. + +"They have been very good children," said the Vrouw. "There are +the skates you and I had when we were children. We might try them +on and see if they are big enough to wear them. They are in the +bag hanging back of the press." + +Kit and Kat almost screamed with joy. + +"Our feet are quite large. I'm sure we can wear them," they said. + +Father Vedder got the bag down and took out two pairs of skates. +They had long curling ends on the runners. The Twins sat down on +the floor. Father Vedder tried on the skates. + +"They are still pretty large; but you will grow," he told the +Twins. "You may have them if you will be very careful and not let +them get rusty. By and by we will teach you to skate." + +The Twins practiced standing in the skates on the kitchen floor; +and, when bedtime came, they took the skates to bed with them. + +"O Kit," said Kat, "I never supposed we'd get them so soon. Did +you?" + +"Well," said Kit, "you see, we're pretty big and very good. That +makes a difference." + +"It's very nice to be good when people notice it, isn't it?" said +Kat. + +"Yah," said Kit. "I'm going to be good now right along, all the +time; for very soon St. Nicholas will come, and he leaves only a +rod in the shoes of bad children. And if you've been bad, you +have to tell him about it." + +"Oh! Oh!" said Kat. "I'm going to be good all the time too. I'm +going to be good until after the feast of St. Nicholas, anyway." + +Not many days after Kit and Kat got their skates, there came a +cold, cold wind. It blew over the fields and over the canals all +day and all night long; and in the morning, when the Twins looked +out, the canal was one shining roadway of ice. + +Father Vedder came in from the stable with a great pail full of +milk. + +"Winter is here now, for good and all," he said, as he set the +pail down. "The canals are frozen over, and soon it will be the +day for the feast of St. Nicholas." + +Kit and Kat ran to him and said, both together, + +"Dear Father Vedder, will you please teach us to skate before +St. Nicholas Day?" + +"I'll see if the ice is strong enough to bear," said Father +Vedder; and he went right down to the canal to see, that very +minute. When he came in, he said, + +"Yes, the ice is strong; and we will go out as soon as you are +ready, and try your skates." + +Vrouw Vedder said, "I should like to go too"; and Father Vedder +said to Kit and Kat, + +"Your mother used to be the finest skater in the whole village +when she was a young girl. You must not let her beat you." + +They hurried through with their work, Kit and Kat helped. Then +they all put on their heavy shoes and wraps, took their skates +over their shoulders, and started for the canal. + +"If you learn to skate well enough, we will take you to town +before the feast of St. Nicholas," said Father Vedder. "But it +comes very soon." + +He put on his own skates and Kit's, and the mother put on her own +and Kat's. + +"I'm sure we can do it almost right away," said Kat. + +"Now we'll show you how to skate," said Father Vedder. He stood +the Twins up on the ice. They held each other's hands. They were +afraid to move. Father Vedder took Mother Vedder's hand. + +"See," he said, "like this!" And away they went like two +swallows, skimming over the ice. In a minute they were ever so +far away. + +Kit and Kat felt lonesome, and very queer, when they saw their +father and mother flying along in that way. They weren't used to +see them do anything but work, and move about slowly. + +"It looks easy," said Kit. "Let's try it. We must not be afraid." + +He started with his right leg, pushing it out a little in front +of him. But it was very strange how his legs acted. They didn't +seem to belong to him at all! His left leg tried to follow his +right, just as it ought to; but, instead, it slid out sidewise +and knocked against Kat's skates. Then both Kat's feet flew up; +and she sat down very hard, on the ice. And Kit came down on top +of her. + +They tried to get up; but, each time they tried, their feet slid +away from them. + +"Oh dear," said Kat, "we are all mixed up! Are those your feet or +mine? I can't tell which is which!" + +"They don't any of them mind," said Kit. "I can't stand up on any +of them. I've tried them all! We'll just have to wait until +Father and Mother come back and pick us out." + +"Ice is quite cold to sit on, isn't it?" said Kat. + +Soon Father and Mother Vedder came skimming back again. When they +saw Kit and Kat, they laughed and skated to them, picked them up, +and set them on their feet. + +"Now I'll take Kit, and you take Kat," said Vrouw Vedder to her +husband, "and they'll be skating in no time." So Kat's father +took her hands, and Kit took hold of his mother's, and they +started off. + +At first the Twins' feet didn't behave well at all. They seemed +to want to do everything they could to bother them. They would +sprawl way apart; then they would toe in and run into each other. + +Many times Kit and Kat would have fallen if Father and Mother +Vedder had not held them up; but before the lesson was over, both +Kit and Kat could skate a little bit alone. + +"See, this is the way," said Vrouw Vedder; and she skated around +in a circle. Then she cut a figure like this 8 in the ice. Then +Father Vedder did a figure like this S all on one foot. + +"My!" said Kit and Kat. + +"I think our parents must skate the best of all the people in the +world," said Kat. + +"I'm going to some day," said Kit. + +"So'm I," said Kat. + +After a while Vrouw Vedder said, + +"It's time to go home. Not too much the first time." So they all +went back home with their cheeks as red as roses, and their noses +too, and such an appetite for dinner! + +But the Twins were a little lame next day. + +Every day after that, Kit and Kat went out with their skates to +the ditches and tried and tried to skate as Father and Mother did +they did so want to skate to town and see the sights before the +feast of St. Nicholas! They worked so hard that in a week they +could skate very well; and then they planned a surprise for their +mother. + +"If you will watch at the window, you'll see a great sight on the +canal very soon," said Kit to his mother one day. + +Of course Vrouw Vedder hadn't the least idea what it would be! + +Kit and Kat slipped out through the stable and ran down to the +ditch. They put on their skates and skated from the ditch out to +the big canal. + +Vrouw Vedder was watching at the window. Soon she saw Kit and Kat +go flying by, hand in hand, on the canal! They waved their hands +to her. Vrouw Vedder was so pleased that she went to call Father +Vedder, who was in the hay-loft over the stable. + +"Come and see Kit and Kat," she cried. + +Father Vedder came down from the loft and looked too. Then Kit +cut a figure like this, S, and Kat cut one like this, 6. The +round spot is where she sat down hard, just as she was almost +around. + +When they came into the kitchen Father said, + +"I think we could take such a fine pair of skaters as that to the +Vink with us on our way to town! The ice is very hard and thick +for so early in the season, and we will go to-morrow." + +"We can see the shops too. St. Nicholas is coming, and the shops +are full of fine things," said Vrouw Vedder. + +Kit and Kat could hardly wait for to-morrow to come. They polished +their skates and made everything ready. + +"What do you suppose the Vink is?" said Kat to Kit. + +"I think it is something like a church," said Kit. + +"You don't know what a Vink is, so there," said Kat. "I think +it's something to eat." + +Then Kit changed the subject. + +"I'll race you to-morrow," he said. + +"I'll beat," said Kat. + +"We'll see," said Kit. + +The next day they started, all four, quite early in the morning: +Vrouw Vedder took her basket on her arm. + +"I shall want to buy some things," she said. + +Father Vedder lighted his pipe "To keep my nose warm," he said. + +Then they all went down to the canal and put on their skates. + +"Kat and I are going to race to the first windmill," said Kit. + +"I'll tell you when to start," said Father Vedder. + +"And I'll get a cake for the one who wins," said the mother. + +"One, two, three!" Away they flew like the wind! Father and +Mother Vedder came close behind. + +Kit was so sure he would beat that he thought he would show off a +little. He went zigzag across the canal; once or twice he stopped +to skate in curves. + +Kat didn't stop for anything. She kept her eyes on the windmill, +and she skated as hard as she could. + +They were getting quite near the mill now. Kit stopped playing +and began to skate as fast as he could. But Kat had got the start +of him. + +"I'll soon get ahead of her," he thought. "She's a girl, and I'm +a boy." He struck out with great long sweeps, as long as such +short legs could make, but Kat kept ahead; and in another minute +there she was at the windmill, quite out of breath, and pointing +her finger at Kit! + +"I beat, I beat," she said. + +"Well, I could have beaten if I wanted to," said Kit. + +"I'll get the cake," said Kat. + +"I don't care," said Kit. But Kat knew that he did. + +"I'll give you a piece," she said. + +Father and Mother Vedder came along then; and when Kit and Kat +were rested, they all skated for a long time without saying +anything. Then Father Vedder said proudly to his wife, + +"They keep up as well as anybody! Were there ever such Twins!" +And Mother Vedder said, + +"Never!" + +By and by other people appeared on the canal--men and women and +children, all skating. They were going to the town to see the +sights too. + +One woman skated by with her baby in her arms. One man was +smoking a long pipe, and his wife was carrying a basket of eggs. +But the man and woman were good skaters. They flew along, +laughing; and no one could get near enough to upset them. + +As they came nearer to the town, Kit and Kat saw a tent near the +place where one canal opened into another. A man stood near the +tent. He put his hands together and shouted through them to the +skaters, + + "Come in, come in, and get a drink + Of warm sweet milk on your way to the Vink:" + +"We must be getting quite near the Vink," Kat said. "I do wonder +what it looks like Do you think it's alive?" + +They passed another tent. There a man was shouting, + + "Come buy a sweet cake; it costs but a cent, + Come buy, come buy, from the man in the tent." + +Vrouw Vedder said, + +"I promised a cake to the one who beat in the race. We'll go in +here and get it." + +So they went to the tent. + +They bought two cakes, and each ate half of one. Kat broke the +cakes and gave them to the others, because she won the race. + +When they had eaten the cakes, they skated on. The canals grew +more and more crowded. There were a good many tents; flags were +flying, and the whole place was very gay. + +At last they saw a big building, with crowds of merry skaters +about it. Many people were going in and out. + +"There's the Vink," said Father Vedder. + +"Where?" said Kit and Kat. + +He pointed to the building. + +"Oh!" said Kit. He never said another word about what they had +thought it was like. + +Soon they were inside the Vink. It was a large restaurant. There +were many little tables about, crowded with people, eating and +drinking. Father Vedder found a table, and they all sat down. + +"Bring us some pea soup," he said to the waiter. Soon they were +eating the hot soup. + +"This is the best thing I ever had," said Kit. + +When they had eaten their soup; they went out of the building and +walked through the streets of the town. All the shops were filled +with pretty things. The bake shops had wonderful cakes with +little candies on top, and there were great cakes made like St. +Nicholas himself in his long robes. + +Kit and Kat flattened their noses against all the shop windows, +and looked at the toys and cakes. + +"I wish St. Nicholas would bring me that," said kit, pointing to +a very large St. Nicholas cake. + +"And I want some of those," Kat said, pointing to some cakes made +in the shapes of birds and fish. + +Vrouw Vedder had gone with her basket on an errand. Father Vedder +and Kit and Kat walked slowly along, waiting for her. Soon there +was a great noise up the street. There were shouts, and the +clatter of wooden shoes. + +"Look! Look!" cried Kit. + +There, in the midst of the crowd, was a great white horse; and +riding on it was the good St. Nicholas himself! He had a long +white beard and red cheeks, and long robes, with a mitre on his +head; and he smiled at the children, who crowded around him and +followed him in a noisy procession down the street. + +Behind St. Nicholas came a cart, filled with packages of all +sizes. The children were all shouting at once, "Give me a cake, +good St. Nicholas!" or, "Give me a new pair of shoes!" or +whatever each one wanted most. + +"Where is he going?" asked Kit and Kat. + +"He's carrying presents to houses where there are good girls and +boys," Father Vedder said. "For bad children, there is only a rod +in the shoe." + +"I'm glad we're so good," said Kit. + +"When will he come to our house?" asked Kat. + +"Not until to-morrow," said Father Vedder. "But you must fill +your wooden shoes with beans or hay for his good horse, to-night; +and then perhaps he will come down the chimney and leave +something in them. It's worth trying." + +Kit and hat were in a hurry to get home, for fear the Saint would +get there first. + +It was growing late, so they all went to a waffle shop for their +supper. + +In the shop a woman sat before an open fire. On the fire was a +big waffle iron. She made the waffles, put sugar and butter on +them, and passed a plate of them to each one. Oh, how good they +were! + +When they had eaten their waffles, Father and Mother Vedder and +the Twins went back to the canal and put on their skates. It was +late in the afternoon: They took hold of hands and began to skate +toward home, four in a row. Father and Mother Vedder were on the +outside, and the Twins in the middle. + +It was dark when they reached home. Vrouw Vedder lighted the +fire, while Father Vedder went to feed the cow and see that the +chickens and ducks and geese were all safe for the night. + +Kit and Kat ran for their wooden shoes. They each took one and +put some hay in it. This was for St. Nicholas to give to his +horse. Father Vedder put the shoes on the mantel. Then they +hurried to bed to make morning come quicker. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat up late that night. Mother Vedder +said it was to prepare the goose for dinner the next day. + +When the Twins woke the next morning, the fire was already +roaring up the chimney, and the kitchen was warm as toast. They +hopped out of bed and ran for their wooden shoes. Mother Vedder +reached up to the mantel shelf for them. Truly, the hay was gone +and there in each shoe was a package done up in paper! + +"Oh, he did come! He did come!" cried Kat. "O Mother, you're sure +you didn't build the fire before he had got out of the chimney?" + +"I'm sure," said Vrouw Vedder. "I've made the fire on many a St. +Nicholas morning, and I've never burned him yet!" + +The Twins climbed up the steps to their cupboard bed and sat on +the edge of it to open their packages. In Kit's was a big St. +Nicholas cake, like the one in the shop window! And in Kat's were +three cakes like birds, and two like fish! + +"Just what we wanted!" said Kit and Kat. "Do you suppose he heard +us say so?" + +"St. Nicholas can hear what people think," said Vrouw Vedder. "He +is coming to see you to-night at six o'clock, and you must be +ready to sing him a little song and answer any questions he asks +you." + +"How glad I am that we are so good!" said Kat. + +"We'll see what the Saint thinks about that," said the mother. +"Now get dressed; for Grandfather and Grandmother will be here +for dinner, and we're going to have roast goose, and there's a +great deal to do." + +Kit and Kat set their beautiful cakes up where they could see +them while they dressed. + +"I do wish every day were St. Nicholas Day," said Kit. + +"Or the day before," said Kat. "That was such a nice day!" + +"All the days are nice days, I think," said Kit. + +"I don't think the dog-cart day was so very nice," said Kat. "We +tore our best clothes, and they'll never, never be so nice again. +That was because you didn't mind!" + +"Well," said Kit, "I minded as much as I could. How can I mind +two things at one time? You know how well I can think! You know +how I thought about Vrouw Van der Kloot's cakes. But I can't +think how I can mind twice at one time." + +"I don't suppose you can," said Kat. "But anyway, I'm sorry about +my dress." + +Just then Vrouw Vedder called them to come and eat their +breakfast. + +Father and Mother Vedder sat down at the little round table and +bowed their heads. Kit and Kat stood up. Father Vedder said +grace; and then they ate their salt herring and drank their +coffee; and Kit and Kat had coffee too, because it was St. +Nicholas morning. + +It was snowing when, after breakfast, Kit went out with his +father to feed the chickens and the pigs, and to see that the cow +had something very good that she liked to eat. When they had done +that, they called Kat; and she helped throw out some grain on the +white snow, so the birds could have a feast, too. + +It snowed all day. Kit and Kat both helped their mother get the +dinner. They got the cabbage and the onions and the potatoes +ready; and when the goose was hung upon the fire to roast, they +watched it and kept it spinning around on the spit, so it would +brown evenly. + +By and by the kitchen was all in order, and you can't think how +clean and homelike it looked! The brasses all around the room had +little flames dancing in them, because they were so bright and +shiny. Everything was ready for the St. Nicholas feast. The goose +was nearly roasted, and there was such a good smell of it in the +air! + +After a while there was a great stamping of feet at the door; and +Vrouw Vedder ran with the broom to brush the snow off Grandfather +and Grandmother, who had skated all the way from town, on the +canal. When they were warmed and dried, and all their wraps put +away, Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle looked around the +pleasant kitchen; and Grandmother said to Grandfather, + +"Our Neltje is certainly a good house-wife." Neltje was Vrouw +Vedder. And Grandfather said, + +"There's only one better one, my dear." He meant Grandmother +Winkle. + +By and by they all sat down to dinner, and I can't begin to tell +you how good it was! It makes one hungry just to think of it. +They had roast goose and onions and turnips and cabbage. They had +bread and butter, and cheese, and sweet cakes. + +"Everything except the flour in the bread, we raised ourselves," +said Vrouw Vedder. "The hens gave us the eggs; and the cow, the +butter. The Twins helped Father and me to take care of the +chickens, and to milk the cow, and to make the butter; so it is +our very own St. Nicholas feast that we are eating." + +"A farmer's life is the best life there is," said Father Vedder. + +They sat a long time at the table; and Grandfather told stories +about when he was a boy; and Father Vedder told how Kit and Kat +learned to skate; and Kit and Kat told how they saw St. Nicholas +riding on a white horse, and how he sent them the very things +they wanted; and they all enjoyed themselves very much. + +After dinner, Grandmother Winkle sat down in the chimney corner +and called Kit and Kat. + +"Come here," she said, "and I'll tell you some stories about St. +Nicholas." + +The Twins brought two little stools and sat beside her, one on +each side. She took out her knitting; and as the needles clicked +in her fingers, she told this story: + +"Once upon a time, many years ago, three little brothers went out +one day to the woods to gather fagots. They were just about as +big as you are, Kit and Kat." + +"Were they all three, twins?" asked Kat. + +"The story doesn't tell about that," said Grandmother Winkle; +"but maybe they were. At any rate, they all got lost in the woods +and wandered ever so far, trying to find their way home. But +instead of finding their way home, they just got more and more +lost all the time. They were very tired and hungry; but, as they +were brave boys, not one of them cried." + +"It's lucky that none of those twins were girls," said Kit. + +"I've even heard of boy twins that cried, when dog carts ran +away, or something of that kind happened," said Grandmother +Winkle. "But you shouldn't interrupt; it's not polite." + +"Oh!" said Kit very meekly. + +"Well, as I was saying, they were very lost indeed. Night was +coming on; and they were just thinking that they must lie down on +the ground to sleep, when one of them saw a light shining through +the leaves. He pointed it out to the others; and they walked +along toward it, stumbling over roots and stones as they went, +for it was now quite dark. + +"As they came nearer, they saw that the light came from the +window of a poor little hut on the edge of a clearing. + +"They went to the door and knocked. The door was opened by a +dirty old woman, who lived in the hut with her husband, who was a +farmer. + +"The boys told the old woman that they had lost their way, and +asked her if she could give them a place to sleep. She spoke to +her husband, who sat crouched over a little fire in the corner; +and he told her to give them a bed in the loft. + +"The three boys climbed the little ladder into the loft and lay +down on the hay. They were so tired that they fell asleep at +once. The old man and his wife whispered about them over their +bit of fire. + +"'They are fine-looking boys; and well dressed,' said the old +woman. + +"'Yes,' said the old man, 'and I have no doubt they have plenty +of money about them.' + +"'Do you really think so?' said the wife. + +"'I think I'll find out,' said the wicked farmer. So he climbed +up to the loft and killed the three boys. Then he looked in their +pockets for money; but there was no money there. + +"He was very angry. And he was very much afraid, wicked people +are always afraid." + +"Are all afraid people wicked?" asked Kat. She wished very much +that she were brave. + +"M-m-m, well, not always," said Grandmother Winkle. + +"The wicked farmer was so afraid that he wanted to put the bodies +of the three boys where no one would find them. So he carried +them down cellar and put them into the pickle tub with his pork." + +"Oh! Oh! Oh!" screamed Kat, and she put her hands over her ears. +Even Kit's eyes were very round and big. But Grandmother said, + +"Now, don't you be scared until I get to the end of the story. +Didn't I tell you it was all about St. Nicholas? You wait and see +what happened! + +"That very same day the wicked farmer went to market with some +vegetables to sell. As he was sitting in the market, St. Nicholas +appeared, before him. He had on his mitre and his long robes, +just as you see him in Kit's cake. + +"Have you any pork to sell?" St. Nicholas asked the man. + +"No," said the farmer. + +"What of the three young pigs in your brine tub in the cellar?" +said St. Nicholas. + +The farmer saw that his wicked deed was found out, as all wicked +deeds are, sooner or later. He fell on his knees and begged the +good Saint to forgive him. + +St. Nicholas said, "Show me the way to your house." + +The farmer left his vegetables unsold in the market and went +home at once, the Saint following all the way. + +When they reached the hut, St. Nicholas went to the pickled-pork +tub in the cellar. He waved his staff over the tub, and out +jumped the three boys, hearty and well! Then the good Saint took +them through the woods and left them in sight of their own home. + +"Oh, what a good St. Nicholas!" said Kit and Kat. "Tell us +another." + +"Well," said Grandmother Winkle, "once upon another time there was +a very mean man, who had a great deal of money, that often +happens. He had, also, three beautiful daughters, that sometimes +happens too." + +"One day he lost all his money. Now, he cared more for money than +for anything else in the world more, even, than for his three +beautiful daughters. So he made up his mind to sell them!" + +"St. Nicholas knew of this wicked plan; so that very night he +went to the man's house and dropped some money through a broken +window." + +"Why did he do that?" asked Kat. + +Because the man was selling his daughters to get money. If he +had money enough, he wouldn't sell them. + +The first night St. Nicholas dropped enough money to pay for the +eldest daughter. The next night he took a purse of gold for the +second daughter, and dropped it down the chimney. It fell down +right in front of the man, as he was getting a coal to light his +pipe. The third night the man watched; and when St. Nicholas +came, the door flew open, and the man ran out. He caught St. +Nicholas by his long robe and held him. + +"O St. Nicholas, Servant of the Lord," he said, "why dost thou +hide thy good deeds?" + +And from that time on, every one has known it is St. Nicholas +who brings gifts in the night and drops them down the chimney. + +"Did the man sell his daughter?" asked Kat. + +"No," said Grandmother. "He was so ashamed of himself that he +wasn't wicked any more." + +"Does St. Nicholas give everybody presents so they will be good?" +asked Kat. + +"Yes," said Grandmother; "that's why bad children get only a rod +in their shoes." + +"He gave the bad man nice presents to make him good," said Kit. +"Why doesn't he give bad children nice things to make them good +too?" + +Grandmother Winkle knitted for a minute without speaking. Then +she said, + +"I guess he thinks that the rod is the present that will make +them good in the shortest time." + +The clock had been ticking steadily along while Grandmother had +been telling stories, and it was now late in the afternoon. The +sky was all red in the west; there were long, long shadows across +the snowy fields, and the corners of the kitchen were quite dark. + +"It's almost time to expect him, now," said Vrouw Vedder; and she +brought out a sheet and spread it in the middle of the kitchen +floor. She stirred up the fire, and the room was filled with the +pleasant glow from the flames. + +Kit and Kat sat on their little stools. Their eyes were very big. +At five minutes of six, Vrouw Vedder said, + +"He will be here in just a few minutes, now. Get up, Kit and Kat, +and sing your song!" + +The Twins stood up on the edge of the sheet and began to sing: + + "St. Nicholas, good, holy man, + Put on your best gown; + Ride with it to Amsterdam, + From Amsterdam to Spain." + +While they were singing, there was a sound at the door, of some +one feeling for the latch. Then the door flew open, and a great +shower of sweet cakes and candies fell onto the sheet, all around +Kit and Kat! There in the doorway stood St. Nicholas himself, +smiling and shaking off the snow! His horse was stamping outside. +Kit and Kat could hear it. + +They stopped singing and hardly breathed, they stood so still. +They looked at St. Nicholas with big, big eyes. In one hand St. +Nicholas carried two large packages; in the other, a birch rod. + +"Are there any good children here?" said St. Nicholas. + +"Pretty good, if you please, dear St. Nicholas," said Kit in a +very small voice. + +"Children who always mind their mothers and fathers and +grandfathers and grandmothers?" said St. Nicholas, "and who do +not quarrel?" + +Kat couldn't say anything at all, though the Saint looked right +at her! Vrouw Vedder spoke. + +"I think, dear St. Nicholas, they are very good children," she +said. + +"Then I will leave these for them and carry the rod along to some +bad little boy and girl, if I find one," said St. Nicholas. +"There seem to be very few about here. I haven't left a single +rod yet." And he handed one big package to Kit, and another to +Kat. + +"Thank you," said Kit and Kat. + +St. Nicholas smiled at them and waved his hand. Then the door +shut, and he was gone! + +Kit and Kat dropped on their knees to pick up the cakes and +candies. They passed the cakes and candies around to each one. +Vrouw Vedder lighted the candles, and then they all gathered +around to see Kit and Kat open their bundles. + +"You open yours first," said Vrouw Vedder to Kat. + +Kat was so excited that she could hardly untie the string. When +she got the bundle open, there was a beautiful new Sunday dress +much prettier than the torn one had ever been! Oh, how pleased +Kat was! She hugged her mother and her grandmother and her father +and her grandfather. + +"I just wish I could hug dear St. Nicholas, too," she said. + +Then Kit opened his bundle; and there was a beautiful new +velveteen suit, with his very own silver buttons on it! It had +pockets in it! He put his hand in one pocket. It had a penny in +it! Then he put his hand in the other pocket. There was another +penny! + +"I'm going to see if there's a pocket in mine," said Kat. + +She hunted and hunted and hunted. By and by she found a pocket. +And sure enough, there was a penny in that too! + +Then some presents came from somewhere for Father and Mother +Vedder and for Grandfather and Grandmother Winkle; and such a +time as they all had, opening the bundles and showing their +presents! + +Then Mother Vedder tried on Kit's suit and Kat's dress, to see if +they were the right size. They were just right exactly. + +"St. Nicholas even knows how big we are," said Kat. + +"Oh, I wish St. Nicholas Day would last a week," said Kit. + +"That reminds me," said Vrouw Vedder, and she looked at the +clock. "Half-past ten, and these children still up! Bless my +heart, this will never do! Come here, Kit and Kat, and let me +undo your buttons!" + +"May we take our new clothes to bed with us?" Kat asked. + +"Yes, just this once," said Mother Vedder, "because this +is St. Nicholas night." + +They kissed their Grandfather and Grandmother good-night, and +their Mother and Father, and said their prayers like good +children; and then they climbed up into their little cupboard +bed, and Vrouw Vedder drew the curtains, so they would go to +sleep sooner. + +"Good-night, dear little Twins," she said. + +And so say we. + + + + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS + + +This book is the first of a series of stories for supplementary +reading the purpose of which is to give children a correct idea +of life in different countries, both in the spirit and atmosphere +of the story, and in the actual descriptions. These books will +also further a spirit of friendliness and good will for children +of other nationalities. Respect for and an understanding of the +life and customs of other races, are not only educationally +valuable, but are fundamentally important in this "crucible of +nations," where different races are fusing themselves together as +never before in the history of the world. Tradition is a precious +heritage, and the traditions of other nations should be the +natural inheritance of the American child, since here as nowhere +else all the nations of the earth are entering into our national +life. + +The author has recognized from the start that the purpose of a +book of this kind would fail of realization if the narrative does +not appeal strongly to children. The delight with which the book +has been received by children is evidence that the important +element of interest has not been left out of the narrative. + +To make the reading of this story most valuable as a school +exercise, it is suggested that children be allowed at the outset +to turn the pages of the book in order to get glimpses of "Kit" +and "Kat," in the various scenes in which they are portrayed, in +the illustrations, thus arousing their interest. With a globe, or +a map of the world, point out Holland, and tell the children +something about the unique character of the country. + +The text is so simply written that any third or fourth grade +child can read it without much preparation. In the third grade it +may be well to have the children read it first in the study +period in order to work out the pronunciation of the more +difficult words. In the fourth grade the children can usually +read it at sight, without the preparatory study. + +In connection with the reading of the book, have children read +selections from their readers and other books about Holland and its +people. The legend of "The Hole in the Dike" is an illustration of +this kind of collateral reading. Let children also bring to class +postcards and other pictures illustrating scenes in Holland. + +The unique illustrations in the book should be much used, both in +the reading of the story and in other ways. Children will enjoy +sketching some of the pictures; their simple treatment makes them +especially useful for this purpose. An excellent oral language +exercise would be for the children, after they have read the +story, to take turns telling the story from the pictures; and a +good composition exercise would be for each child to select the +picture that he would like to write upon, make a sketch of it, +and write the story in his own words. + +These are only a few of the number of ways that will occur to +resourceful teachers of making the book a valuable as well as an +interesting exercise in reading. + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of The Dutch Twins, by Lucy Fitch Perkins + diff --git a/old/dtcht11.zip b/old/dtcht11.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..90db23f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/dtcht11.zip |