elf, this morning, the
first thing, before there were many people about to get in my way."

"I'd forgotten," said Nell. "But if she's 'Mascotte' now, isn't that a
sign she could take us safely through the sea? They're only miniature
waves."

"You wouldn't think so if you were in their midst in a motor-boat," said
the Jonkheer.

"I'm ready to try," Nell answered.

"But I'm not ready to let you," he said, with one of his nice smiles.

However, this didn't conciliate Nell. In an instant she bristled up, as
she used to with him, before Amsterdam.

"It's my boat," she said.

"But I'm the boat's skipper. The skipper must act according to his
judgment. Joking apart though----"

"I'm _not_ joking. If men can go, why can't women? We're not afraid. It
would be fun."

"Not for the men, if they had women to think of. You see, the boat is
top-heavy, owing to the cabin superstructure, and it wouldn't be
impossible for her to turn turtle in a heavy sea. Besides, rough waves
might break the cabin windows, and if she began to take in water in that
way, we should be done, for no bailing could help us. Do you still want
to make the trip, Miss Van Buren?"

"I do," Nell insisted. "Because I don't believe those things will
happen."

"Neither do I, or I shouldn't care to risk your boat. But there's a
chance."

"I shouldn't dream of venturing," said Lady MacNairne, "and I'm sure
Phyllis wouldn't go without her chaperon, would you, dear?"

"No," I answered; and that mercifully settled it for Nell, as she
couldn't take a trip alone with the men.

"In any case, it's pleasanter to drive from here to Hoorn and
Enkhuisen," went on the Jonkheer, "and the only real reason for sticking
to the boat even in fine weather would have been that you came to 'do'
Holland in a motor-boat, and wanted to be true to your principles. The
coast is flat and low, and you'd have seen nothing except a line of land
which would have looked uninteresting across the water, whereas in my
car----"

"But your car isn't here," objected Nell.

"It may be, any minute now. I've been expecting it for the last hour. I
wasn't trusting entirely to luck, when we came; and my chauffeur had
orders to hold himself in readiness for a telegram. Last night, as soon
as I saw the wind getting up, I wired him in Amsterdam, where he was
waiting, to start as soon as it was light."

"You're a wonderful fellow," said Mr. van Buren, and I complimented him
too; but Nell didn't