picked herself up and ran to see what was the matter with the
baby, while Father De Smet seized a long pole and hurried
forward. Joseph left the mule to browse upon the grass beside the
tow-path and ran back to the boat. His father threw him a pole
which was kept for such emergencies, and they both pushed. Joseph
pushed on the boat and his father pushed against the river-bank.
Meanwhile poor Jan stood wretchedly by the tiller knowing that
his carelessness had caused the trouble, yet not knowing what to
do to help.

"Never mind, son," said Mother De Smet kindly, when she came back
for her potatoes and saw his downcast face. "It isn't the first
time the 'Old Woman' has stuck her nose in the mud, and with
older people than you at the tiller, too! We'll soon have her off
again and no harm done."

The boat gave a little lurch toward the middle of the stream.

"Look alive there, Mate!" sang out Father De Smet. "Hard aport
with the tiller! Head her out into the stream!"

Joseph flung his pole to his father and rushed back to Netteke,
pulled her patient nose out of a delicious bunch of thistles and
started her up the tow-path. Jan sprang to the tiller, and soon
the "Old Woman" was once more gliding smoothly over the quiet
water toward Antwerp.

When Father De Smet came back to the stern of the boat, Jan
expected a scolding, but perhaps it seemed to the good-natured
skipper that Jan had troubles enough already, for he only said