"Never in my life," said Johnny, earnestly.
"No, no," replied the man, impatiently, "you vas no in Hollands—but you vas in Hollands."
Johnny could make nothing of this; but it was soon cleared up by the person adding, "You vas in Hollands now—dis moment."
We will not even attempt to describe Johnny's amazement, horror, and consternation, on this announcement being made to him, for we feel how vain it would be, and how far short any idea we could convey would be of the reality.
"Holland!" said Johnny. "Heaven hae a care o' me! Ye surely dinna mean to say that I'm in Holland the noo?"
"To be sure I vas," said the Dutchman, smiling at Johnny's ludicrous perturbation. "Mine Got, did you not know you vas in Hollands? Vere you come from, in all de vorlds, you not know dat?"
"I tell't ye already," replied Johnny, with a most rueful countenance, "that I cam last frae Alloa. But ye're surely no in earnest, freen," he added, in a desperate hope that it might, after all, be but a joke, "when ye say that I'm in Holland?"
"Ah! sure earneest—no doubt—true," said the Dutchman, now laughing outright at Johnny's perplexity.
As in the former case, we presume we need not be more explicit in saying that Johnny had actually been wrecked on the coast of Holland.