Everywhere our
eyes followed long avenues cut in the forest, avenues stretching out
like the rays of a star, and full of a tremulous green light, shot with
gold.

In the midst of this forest we came upon Soestdyk, where the
Queen-Mother lives, that pleasant palace with its romance of a
mysterious, secret room; then by-and-by we ran into Amersfoort, ringed
by its park, and Nell was so entranced with the Gothic church tower,
that she rejoiced to hear it was the finest in the northern Netherlands.

I had chosen market-day in Amersfoort for our drive, and as we sailed
into the spacious square of the town, my passengers saw in one moment
more Dutch costumes than in all their previous days in Hollow Land.

It was too late for the best of the picture; still, the market-place
glittered with gold and silver helmets, and delicate spiral
head-ornaments. Ear-rings flashed in the sun, and massive gold brooches
and buckles. There was a moving rainbow of color and a clatter of
sabots, as the market women packed up their wares; but there was no time
to linger, if we were to reach Spaakenberg before the shadows grew long.
We sped on, until the next toll-gate (we had come to so many that Nell
said our progress was made by tolling, rather than tooling along the
roads) where a nice apple-cheeked old lady shook her white cap at the
motor, while accepting my pennies. It was her opinion, though she was
not sure, that the road--oh, a very bad road!--to Spaakenberg, was now
forbidden to automobiles.

To tell the truth, I had never motored to Spaakenberg, but I had
bicycled, and thought there ought to be room on the narrow road for two
vehicles, even if one were a motor and the other a hay-cart.

I was not surprised that the old lady had no certainty with which to
back up her opinion. It was more surprising that she should know of the
existence of Spaakenberg, of which many Dutch bicyclists who pride
themselves on their knowledge, have never heard.

Naturally we determined to persevere, more than ever eager for a sight
of the strange fishing-village, and a glimpse of the Zuider Zee.

"But what shall we do if we find the road forbidden, and we're too far
off to walk?" Nell asked. "It would be dreadful to turn back."

"We shan't turn back," said I. "We'll hire a wagon and go on, or--we'll
pass the sign which forbids us to proceed, too quickly to see it. Such
things happen; and the road's too narrow to turn or even to reverse."

"I am gla