monds. "I didn't know the boat was yours."

"Whose did you think it was?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I--er--thought it was mine."

"What do you mean?" I cried, while Phil threw a wild, questioning look
at the shirts, and dropped the blue silk jacket.

"That is, temporarily. But there must be some mistake."

"There must--a big mistake. Where's the caretaker? He came on board with
us."

The young man's eyes twinkled even more. "Did he know it was your boat?"

"Why, of course, we told him. It was left to us in a will. We've just
come to claim it."

"Oh, I think I begin to see. I shouldn't wonder if Paasma has now taken
to his bed with a sudden attack of--whatever the Dutch have instead of
nervous prostration. He didn't know you were coming?"

"Not till we came."

"It must have been quite a surprise. By Jove, the old fox! I suppose he
hadn't got the shadow of a right, then, to let the boat to me?"

"My gracious!" breathed Phyllis, and shut up the drawer of shirts with a
snap. I don't know what she did with the blue silk object, except that
it suddenly and mysteriously disappeared from the floor. Perhaps she
stood on it.

"What an awful thing," said I. "You're sure you're not in the wrong
boat? You're sure he didn't let you some other one?"

"Sure. There is no other one in Holland exactly like this. I've been on
board nearly every day for a week, ever since I began to----"

"Since you began----"

"To have her done up. Nothing to speak of, you know; but she's been
lying here all winter, and--er--I had a fancy to clean house----"

"Then--all these things are--yours?"

"Some of the things----"

"The Dutch clock, the deck-chairs, the silk cushions, the curtains, and
decorations in the cabin----"

"I'm afraid you think I'm an awful meddler; but, you see, I didn't know.
Paasma told me he had a right to let the boat, and that I could do her
up as much as I liked."

"The old wretch!" I gasped. "And you walk on board to find two strange
girls rummaging among your--your----" Then I couldn't help laughing when
I remembered how Phil had suggested our keeping those things for
souvenirs.

"I thought I must be having a dream--a beautiful dream."

I ignored the implied compliment. "What are we going to do about it?" I
asked. "It _is_ our boat. There's no doubt about that. But with these
things of yours--do you want to go to law, or--or--anything?"

"Good heavens, no! I----"

"I'll tell you what we'll do," sa