"I suppose if there were room enough in the garden there would be a summer-house, too," said Pieter.
There is no doubt but what the "bargees" enjoy their lives, and nothing would make them so unhappy as to have to live on dry land. There are thousands and thousands of these "tjalks" in Holland, and most of the merchandise of all kinds which is transported about the country is carried by them.
"Time to be on the road," said Mynheer to his young party; and before long they were all riding into the old town of Delft.
"Listen to those bells," cried Theodore, "they are playing one of our popular American marches. Where are they?"
"Those are the chimes you hear ringing in the belfry," said Pieter. "They must be playing the march in your honour, Theodore."
Each town in Holland has its chime of bells, usually hung in the tower of the principal church. The chimes are played by means of a wonderful mechanical keyboard, and the Dutch are very fond of hearing them ring out the popular tunes of the day.
"It was in this place that long ago the famous blue and white Delftware was made, like that the mother has at home," said Mynheer. "There is Delftware made now, but it is not prized like the old kind.
"But we must not linger, children, if we are to reach The Hague for dinner," and he marshalled the young people again upon the road.
Soon they were skimming over the smooth, flat roadway, and came almost at once on to fine boulevards lined with handsome houses, so they knew they were at The Hague itself.
The twins were as interested as their American cousin in the sights of their capital city, and Wilhelmina wanted to know at once if there would be a chance of their seeing the queen. You see she was named after Queen Wilhelmina, so she felt as if she had a right to see her, even more than other little Dutch girls, though indeed they are all fond of their young ruler, who not so very long ago was a young girl like Wilhelmina herself.