"No, indeed!" declared Polly again, shaking her brown head decidedly,
"not for the world, Jasper."

"What is going over in that corner?" called Grandpapa's voice, by the
big reading table. He had finished his newspaper, and was now ready to
talk. So Jasper and Polly explained, and that brought out the subject
of Marken, and old Mr. King said yes, it was perfectly true that he had
made all the arrangements to go the following day if the weather were
fine. So Polly and Jasper swept off the remaining pieces on the chessboard,
and packed them away in their box, and ran over to hear all the rest of it
that he was now telling to the family.

"So you see it didn't make any difference about that old queen anyway,"
said Polly, as they hurried over to him, "for nobody has beaten."

"I'm glad I didn't beat," declared Jasper. "I've that satisfaction,
anyway, because you wouldn't have moved that pawn, Polly, if you hadn't
been talking of Marken."

The next day was fine enough to warrant the trip, though not absolutely
sunshiny. Old Mr. King wisely deciding that the fun of the expedition
would lose its edge if postponed again, said, "Start!" So after
breakfast they all went down to the Wester dock and embarked on the
little steamer bound for the island of Marken in the Zuyder Zee.

"Oh, Polly, look," said Jasper, "doesn't Amsterdam look fine?" as the
little steamer slowly put forth.

Polly leaned over the rail and drew in long breaths of delight. "Come,