"There wasn't any Holland in the first place," Father Vedder
answered. "There were only some marshes and some lands under
water. But people built a wall of earth around these flats; and
then they pumped out the water from the space inside the wall,
and made canals through the land, and drained it. And after all
that work, we have our rich fields."

"How does pluck keep them?" asked Kat.

"The dykes have to be watched and mended all the time," said
Father Vedder. "And the windmills have to work and work, to keep
the fields drained. No one can be lazy in Holland. Each one has
to work well for what he gets. If Holland should grow lazy, she
would soon be back again in the Zuyder Zee! So, my children, you
see you must learn well and work hard. And that is all my sermon
to-day."

"It is a better sermon than the Dominic will preach, I know,"
said Kat.

"Tut, tut! You must never say such things," said Father Vedder.
He got up and held out his hands to the Twins.

"Come! we must walk along, or we shall be late for church," he
said. "Here comes the Dominie now."

There indeed was the Dominie! Kit and Kat knew him well. No one
else dressed as he did. He wore a high silk hat, and long, black
coat and trousers, such as city people wear.