Antje couldn't see a thing. She was surrounded by big people, two ladies with shopping bags, a man with a boy on his shoulders, a girl with pigtails, and another girl, and a boy. Thousands of people, but where was mother? Because she was only a little girl, Antje saw nothing but coats, bags, legs, and shoes.

"He's waving!" Jan shouted.

He had found a peephole between all the legs and coats. But Antje saw nothing. They had waited an hour, and now she could only hear the music. She began to cry. A man looked down and saw her tears. Suddenly Antje felt herself being picked up. She landed on the man's shoulders and now both children could see everything very well: the big steamship slowly nearing the quay, the flags, the band playing familiar St. Nicholas tunes, and, of course, St. Nicholas" white horse, his black helper called "Black Peter", and .... St. Nicholas himself.