PETER. I must find where the water comes from.
GRETCHEN. Well, I will not wait.
JACOB. Nor I!
FRIEDA. Nor I! It is too cold.
[They go. Peter runs to the dike and looks at it carefully.]
PETER. Ah, I thought so! Here is a little hole! The water comes through it from the sea. Soon the hole will be larger. I must find stones and fill it.
(He looks about for stones.)
Dear me! Dear me! I cannot find a single stone! What shall I do? The hole will grow larger and larger. The sea will come in and cover all the land. What shall I do? I cannot go and tell the people. That would take too long. What shall I do? What shall I do?
(He thinks for a moment.)
I know! I know how to stop it!