The Dutch Twins

r Mother sat on a bench by the door, peeling some onions for supper. It was no

m. They each had one little fat duckling of their very own. The ducklin

klings don't like it. You didn't like it

ot a duck,

id Kat. "Let's do something else! I'll tell you what! Let's go o

said Kit. "Ma

r if he will take you to market with him to-morr

at once; and they ran as fast as their wood

d gathering them into piles. He was stoppin

"May we go on the boat to market with you

wo puffs from his pi

ou load the b

at, "I can ca

aid Kit. "We'll both

's fair, I'll see! But you must go to bed early to-night, because you'll have to get up

r went back

pile. Kat took one, and Kit too

see,' he always means

y should go to market in a boat, but i

fields like roadways of water, and that is what they really are.

et right on a boat. They can pull the boat out into the big c

o, and make water streets, where boat

d packing them in baskets, until their good old boat was filled with cabb

rk, and they were all three v

for supper. The Twins loved buttermilk porridge. They each

a cupboard right into the kitchen, and it w

new, it was morning, and there

lmost up. Come Kit and Kat, if you

rubber balls. They ate some bre

oat and put them both on one seat, and told them to sit

on the canal bank

ather, and don't get lost

way to town, looking at the things

ny with dew. Black and white cows were eating the rich gr

ed-tiled roofs shining in the morning sun; and the w

l bank; and once, they saw a stork fly over a mossy green

ndows, and the pots of red geraniums standing on the sill. In one house the family waved their hands to Kit and Kat from the breakfast table, and a little farther on they passed a woma

e man called out. "Are you taki

great many boats in the canal here, and people

he Captain's family lived in.

on a boat like that, just going about fro

ave to go to schoo

to move about in; but Father told them th

, in the town, and people were clattering a

nd stalls all about it. The farmers brought their fresh vegetables and flowers, or wh

d Father gave them each some bread and cheese to eat; for they were hungry again. T

em were women with market baskets on their arms. They went t

on her arm came along to the sta

t!" she said.

and Kat. And Kat said,

arge woman. "So you are

call us Kit and Kat for short." It

alf high, we are going to be c

an. "So you are! Now my name is Vrouw

s. "We're going to h

cabbage and ten onions,"

d, and he lit his pipe. Kit

t. You see, really Kit couldn't count ten a

little pile of onions in a measure

that

. There were eleven, and so she gave back one. Then she gave K

et hungry again, you can go over to Vrouw Van der Kloot's s

nd Kat. "We're hungry

Father. "We must d

to do several other things. Then their father gave them the money for the

the stalls, and buy the thing you like best that

rld. They each held the money tightly shut in one han

very large," s

high with flowers. There was a stall full of birds in cages, singing away

Kat, "let's b

if the birds cost two

s; they cost

knew they couldn't get the birds for two cents whe

stalls and stalls of vegetables just like Father's, and there were booths where meat and fish and w

smiling at them from a stall just full of cakes and cookies and

held up th

s with currant eyes, and they knew at once that there was

s apiece, dear Vrouw Va

der Kloot; "they co

were dis

e thing in this whole market tha

said Kit. "L

k hold of his head with both hands and thought hard. H

If those St. Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece

you can think! Does it hurt you m

w, who was selling some coffee

those St. Nicholas dolls cost one cent apiece, he thi

uw Van der Kloot; and she win

f you should get two Nicholas dolls, why, I should have my two ce

said Kit; and when he had

ts, and I'll get two with mine! And I'll give my other o

what we'll

ck to Vrouw

four dolls

you?" And she counted out the dolls-"One for Kit, and one for Kat, and

aid Kat. "Let's eat it right now! T

th the feet. Kit bit one off, and Kat bit the other; and

d Vrouw, and went back to Father's stall. They found tha

n were on their way home. The Twins sat on one seat, holdi

come, and it did not seem long before they saw their own house. There it was, with its

set the four St. Nicholas dolls in

one for Mother, and one for K

ust how many dolls he could buy when they were one

ouw Vedder. But Kit didn't say a word. He just looke

t high and are called Christopher, you can g

tle bit, too," sai

k much. It isn't good for them. Leave thinking