comprehending what he said. The call passed unheeded, then, such things
being quite frequent among the Dutch, who seldom passed each other on the
highway without a greeting of some sort or other. I was thinking of this
practice, and of the points that distinguished our own habits from those of
the people of this part of the colony, when sleigh-bells sounded quite near
me, and turning my head, I saw Herman Mordaunt's bays galloping close to
us, as if wishing to get alongside. At the next moment the object was
effected, and Guert pulled up.

"Did you understand the man who passed down, Guert?" demanded Herman
Mordaunt, as soon as all noises ceased.

"He called out to us, at the top of his voice, and would hardly do that
without an object."

"These men seldom go home, after a visit to Albany, without filling their
jugs," answered Guert, drily; "what could he have to say, more than to wish
us good-night?"

"I cannot tell, but Mrs. Bogart thought she understood something about
'Albany,' and 'the river.'"

"The ladies always fancy Albany is to sink into the river after a great
thaw," answered Guert, good-humouredly; "but I can show either of them that
the ice is sixteen inches thick, here where we stand."

Guert then gave me the reins, stepped out of the sleigh, went a short
distance to a large crack that he had seen while speaking, and returned
with a thumb placed on the handle of the whip, as a measure to show that
his statement was true. The ice, at that spot, was certainly nearer