lay you some scurvy trick
or other. He has been going on from bad to worse, all owing to the
oceans of schiedam he has poured down that ugly mouth of his."

This was said when the Count was comfortably seated in the stern of
Pieter's boat. There was another person on board whom the Count
recognised as the small ship's boy, who had long been Pieter's faithful
companion. He nodded and smiled his recognition, and seemed highly
delighted at again meeting with the Count.

"And now where shall we go?" asked Pieter.

"To the nearest shore where I can obtain food and shelter, and change my
wet garments," answered the Count.

"Well, you do look dampish," observed Pieter.

"Damp! I have been wet to the skin for these hours past, and almost
starved to death in the bargain," said the Count.

"Then I will lose no time in taking you to Meppel, or any other place we
can most easily reach." And bending his back to the oars, the one-eyed
mariner pulled away.

"`One good turn deserves another,' as the old saying is," observed
Pieter, for he wanted to say something to keep up the Count's spirits.
"You saved my life and gave me this boat, and now I have the
satisfaction of saving yours."

"You are an honest fellow, Pieter, and as I prize honest men, of whom I
have not discovered as many as I desire in the world, I should be glad
if you and the small ship's boy will accompany me, and I will endeavour
to obtain some post which I consider suited to your merits." Old Pieter
gladly accepted the Count's offer, and it did not make him pull the less
vigorously. All night long they rowed on, till they arrived at a part
of the country which the flood had not reached. Here Pieter took the
Count to the house of a farmer to whom the honest boatman was well
known, having been on various occasions employed by him. The good
farmer treated the Count with the utmost hospitality and kindness. It
was some days, however, before the Count had sufficiently recovered to
be once more himself, and able to extend his walks beyond the precincts
of the farm. He had gone one day to some distance, when he saw a large
and picturesque house rising amid an extensive shrubbery; an open gate
invited him to enter. As he walked along he caught the sound of voices,
and presently found himself in the presence of a party of gentlemen,
seated round a table with books and papers before them. Conspicuous on
one side was a large easel supporting a handsome pictu