GRETCHEN. Peter, Peter! Your mother waits for you.

PETER. I must find where the water comes from.

GRETCHEN. Well, I will not wait.

JACOB. Nor I!

FRIEDA. Nor I! It is too cold.

[_They go. Peter runs to the dike and looks at it carefully._]

PETER. Ah, I thought so! Here is a little hole! The water comes through
it from the sea. Soon the hole will be larger. I must find stones and
fill it.

(_He looks about for stones._)

Dear me! Dear me! I cannot find a single stone! What shall I do? The
hole will grow larger and larger. The sea will come in and cover all the
land. What shall I do? I cannot go and tell the people. That would take
too long. What shall I do? What shall I do?

(_He thinks for a moment._)

I know! I know how to stop it!

(_He thrusts his arm through the hole. He shivers._)