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ing　boats。　　They　were　so　heavy　and　stumpy；　so　like　the　queer　craft　that　he　had　seen　about　Rotterdam。　　The　tiny　trekschuiten；　however；　only　a　foot　or　two　long；　and　fitted　out；　complete；　made　his　heart　ache。　　He　so　longed　to　buy　one　at　once　for　his　little　brother　in　England。　　He　had　no　money　to　spare；　for　with　true　Dutch　prudence；　the　party　had　agreed　to　take　with　them　merely　the　sum　required　for　each　boy's　expenses　and　to　consign　the　purse　to　Peter　for　safekeeping。　　Consequently　Master　Ben　concluded　to　devote　all　his　energies　to　sight…seeing　and　to　think　as　seldom　as　possible　of　little　Robby。

He　made　a　hasty　call　at　the　Marine　school　and　envied　the　sailor　students　their　full…rigged　brig　and　their　sleeping　berths　swung　over　their　trunks　or　lockers；　he　peeped　into　the　Jews'　Quarter　of　the　city；　where　the　rich　diamond　cutters　and　squalid　old…clothesmen　dwell；　and　wisely　resolved　to　keep　away　from　it；　he　also　enjoyed　hasty　glimpses　of　the　four　principal　avenues　of　Amsterdamthe　Prinsengracht；　Keizersgracht；　Herengracht；　and　Singel。　　These　are　semicircular　in　form；　and　the　first　three　average　more　than　two　miles　in　length。　　A　canal　runs　through　the　center　of　each；　with　a　well…paved　road　on　either　side；　lined　with　stately　buildings。　　Rows　of　naked　elms；　bordering　the　canal；　cast　a　network　of　shadows　over　its　frozen　surface；　and　everything　was　so　clean　and　bright　that　Ben　told　Lambert　it　seemed　to　him　like　petrified　neatness。

Fortunately　the　weather　was　cold　enough　to　put　a　stop　to　the　usual　street　flooding　and　window…washing；　or　our　young　excursionists　might　have　been　drenched　more　than　once。　　Sweeping；　mopping；　and　scrubbing　form　a　passion　with　Dutch　housewives；　and　to　soil　their　spotless　mansions　is　considered　scarcely　less　than　a　crime。　　Everywhere　a　hearty　contempt　is　felt　for　those　who　neglect　to　rub　the　soles　of　their　shoes　to　a　polish　before　crossing　the　doorsill；　and　in　certain　places　visitors　are　expected　to　remove　their　heavy　shoes　before　entering。

Sir　William　Temple；　in　his　memoirs　of　〃What　Passed　in　Christendom　from　1672　to　1679；〃　tells　a　story　of　a　pompous　magistrate　going　to　visit　a　lady　of　Amsterdam。　　A　stout　Holland　lass　opened　the　door；　and　told　him　in　a　breath　that　the　lady　was　at　home　and　that　his　shoes　were　not　very　clean。　　Without　another　word　she　took　the　astonished　man　up　by　both　arms；　threw　him　across　her　back；　carried　him　through　two　rooms；　set　him　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　seized　a　pair　of　slippers　that　stood　there；　and　put　them　upon　his　feet。　　Then；　and　not　until　then；　she　spoke；　telling　him　that　his　mistress　was　on　the　floor　above；　and　that　he　might　go　up。

While　Ben　was　skating　with　his　friends　upon　the　crowded　canals　of　the　city；　he　found　it　difficult　to　believe　that　the　sleepy　Dutchmen　he　saw　around　him；　smoking　their　pipes　so　leisurely　and　looking　as　though　their　hats　might　be　knocked　off　their　heads　without　their　making　any　resistance；　were　capable　of　those　outbreaks　that　had　taken　place　in　Hollandthat　they　were　really　fellow　countrymen　of　the　brave；　devoted　heroes　of　whom　he　had　read　in　Dutch　history。

As　his　party　skimmed　lightly　along　he　told　Van　Mounen　of　a　burial　riot　which　in　1696　had　occurred　in　that　very　city；　where　the　women　and　children　turned　out；　as　well　as　the　men；　and　formed　mock　funeral　processions　through　the　town；　to　show　the　burgomasters　that　certain　new　regulations；　with　regard　to　burying　the　dead　would　not　be　acceded　tohow　at　last　they　grew　so　unmanageable　and　threatened　so　much　damage　to　the　city　that　the　burgomasters　were　glad　to　recall　the　offensive　law。

〃There's　the　corner；〃　said　Jacob；　pointing　to　some　large　buildings；　where；　about　fifteen　years　ago；　the　great　corn　houses　sank　down　in　the　mud。　　They　were　strong　affairs　and　set　up　on　good　piles；　but　they　had　over　seven　million　pounds　of　corn　in　them；　and　that　was　too　much。〃

It　was　a　long　story　for　Jacob　to　tell；　and　he　stopped　to　rest。

〃How　do　you　know　there　were　seven　million　pounds　in　them？〃　asked　Carl　sharply。　　〃You　were　in　your　swaddling　clothes　then。〃

〃My　father　knows　all　about　it〃　was　Jacob's　suggestive　reply。　　Rousing　himself　with　an　effort；　he　continued；　〃Ben　likes　pictures。　　Show　him　some。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　captain。

〃If　we　had　time；　Benjamin；〃　said　Lambert　van　Mounen　in　English；　〃I　should　like　to　take　you　to　the　City　Hall；　or　Stadhuis。　　There　are　building　piles　for　you！　　It　is　built　on　nearly　fourteen　thousand　of　them；　driven　seventy　feet　into　the　ground。　　But　what　I　wish　you　to　see　there　is　the　big　picture　of　Van　Speyk　blowing　up　his　shipgreat　picture。〃

〃Van　WHO？〃　asked　Ben。

〃Van　Speyk。　　Don't　you　remember？　　He　was　in　the　height　of　an　engagement　with　the　Belgians；　and　when　he　found　that　they　had　the　better　of　him　and　would　capture　his　ship；　he　blew　it　up；　and　himself；　too；　rather　than　yield　to　the　enemy。〃

〃Wasn't　that　Van　Tromp？〃

〃Oh；　no。　　Van　Tromp　was　another　brave　fellow。　　They've　a　monument　to　him　down　at　Delftshaventhe　place　where　the　Pilgrims　took　ship　for　America。〃

〃Well；　what　about　Van　Tromp？　　He　was　a　great　Dutch　admiral；　wasn't　he？〃

〃Yes；　he　was　in　more　than　thirty　sea　fights。　　He　beat　the　Spanish　fleet　and　an　English　one；　and　then　fastened　a　broom　to　his　masthead　to　show　that　he　had　swept　the　English　from　the　sea。　　Takes　the　Dutch　to　beat；　my　boy！〃

〃Hold　up！〃　cried　Ben。　　〃Broom　or　no　broom；　the　English　conquered　him　at　last。　　I　remember　all　about　it　now。　　He　was　killed　somewhere　on　the　Dutch　coast　in　an　engagement　in　which　the　English　fleet　was　victorious。　　Too　bad；〃　he　added　maliciously；　〃wasn't　it？〃

〃Ahem！　　Where　are　we？〃　exclaimed　Lambert；　changing　the　subject。　　〃Halloo！　　The　others　are　way　ahead　of　usall　but　Jacob。　　Whew！　　How　fat　he　is！　　He'll　break　down　before　we're　halfway。〃

Ben；　of　course；　enjoyed　skating　beside　Lambert；　who；　though　a　staunch　Hollander；　had　been　educated　near　London　and　could　speak　English　as　fluently　as　Dutch；　but　he　was　not　sorry　when　Captain　van　Holp　called　out；　〃Skates　off！　　There's　the　museum！〃

It　was　open；　and　there　was　no　charge　on　that　day　for　admission。　　In　they　went；　shuffling；　as　boys　will　when　they　have　a　chance；　just　to　hear　the　sound　of　their　shoes　on　the　polished　floor。

This　museum　is　in　fact　a　picture　gallery　where　some　of　the　finest　works　of　the　Dutch　masters　are　to　be　seen；　besides　nearly　two　hundred　portfolios　of　rare　engravings。

Ben　noticed；　at　once；　that　some　of　the　pictures　were　hung　on　panels　fastened　to　the　wall　with　hinges。　　These　could　be　swung　forward　like　a　window　shutter；　thus　enabling　the　subject　to　be　seen　in　the　best　light。　　The　plan　served　them　well　in　viewing　a　small　group　by　Gerard　Douw；　called　the　〃Evening　School；〃　enabling　them　to　observe　its　exquisite　finish　and　the　wonderful　way　in　which　the　picture　seemed　to　be　lit　through　its　own　windows。　　Peter　pointed　out　the　beauties　of　another　picture　by　Douw；　called　〃The　Hermit；〃　and　he　also　told　them　some　interesting　anecdotes　of　the　artist；　who　was　born　at　Leyden　in　1613。

〃Three　days　painting　a　broom　handle！〃　echoed　Carl　in　astonishment；　while　the　captain　was　giving　some　instances　of　Douw's　extreme　slowness　of　execution。

〃Yes；　sir；　three　days。　　And　it　is　said　that　he　spent　five　in　finishing　one　hand　in　a　lady's　portrait。　　You　see　how　very　bright　and　minute　everything　is　in　this　picture。　　His　unfinished　works　were　kept　carefully　covered　and　his　painting　materials　were　put　away　in　airtight　boxes　as　soon　as　he　had　finished　using　them　for　the　day。　　According　to　all　accounts；　the　studio　itself　must　have　been　as　close　as　a　bandbox。　　The　artist　always　entered　it　on　tiptoe；　besides　sitting　still；　before　he　commenced　work；　until　the　slight　dust　caused　by　his　entrance　had　settled。　　I　have　read　somewhere　that　his　paintings　are　improved　by　being　viewed　through　a　magnifying　glass。　　He　strained　his　eyes　so　badly　with　the　extra　finishing；　that　he　was　forced　to　wear　spectacles　before　he　was　thirty。　　At　forty　he　could　scarcely　see　to　paint；　and　he　couldn't　find　a　pair　of　glasses　anywhere　that　would　help　his　sight。　　At　last；　a　poor　old　German　woman　asked　him　to　try　hers。　　They　suited　him　exactly；　and　enabled　him　to　go　on　painting　as　well　as　ever。〃

〃Humph！〃　exclaimed　Ludwig　indignantly。　　〃That　was　high！　　What　did　SHE　do　without　them；　I　wonder？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Peter；　laughing；　〃likely　she　had　another　pair。　　At　any　rate　she　insisted　upon　his　taking　them。　　He　was　so　grateful　that　he　painted　a　picture　of　the　spectacles　for　her；　case　and　all；　and　she　sold　it　to　a　burgomaster　for　a　yearly　allowance　that　made　her　comfortable　for　the　rest　of　her　days。〃

〃Boys！〃　called　Lambert　in　a　loud　whisper；　〃come　look　at　this　'Bear　Hunt。'〃

It　was　a　fine　painting　by　Paul　Potter；　a　Dutch　artist　of　the　seventeenth　century；　who　produced　excellent　works　before　he　was　sixteen　years　old。　　The　boys　admired　it　because　the　subject　pleased　them。　　They　passed　carelessly　by　the　masterpieces　of　Rembrandt　and　Van　der　Helst；　and　went　into　raptures　over　an　ugly　picture　by　Van　der　Venne；　representing　a　sea　fight　between　the　Dutch　and　English。　　They　also　stood　spellbound　before　a　painting　of　two　little　urchins；　one　of　whom　was　taking　soup　and　the　other　eating　an　egg。　　The　principal　merit　in　this　work　was　that　the　young　egg…eater　had　kindly　slobbered　his　face　with　the　yolk　for　their　entertainment。

An　excellent　representation　of　the　〃Feast　of　Saint　Nicholas〃　next　had　the　honor　of　attracting　them。

〃Look；　Van　Mounen；〃　said　Ben　to　Lambert。　　〃Could　anything　be　better　than　this　youngster's　face？　　He　looks　as　if　he　KNOWS　he　deserves　a　whipping；　but　hopes　Saint　Nicholas　may　not　have　found　him　out。　　That's　the　kind　of　painting　I　like；　something　that　tells　a　story。〃

〃Come；　boys！〃　cried　the　captain。　　〃Ten　o'clock；　time　we　were　off！〃

They　hastened　to　the　canal。

〃Skates　on！　　Are　you　ready？　　One；　twohalloo！　　Where's　Poot？〃

Sure　enough；　where　WAS　Poot？

A　square　opening　had　just　been　cut　in　the　ice　not　ten　yards　off。　　Peter　observed　it　and；　without　a　word；　skated　rapidly　toward　it。

All　the　others　followed；　of　course。

Peter　looked　in。　　They　all　looked　in；　then　stared　anxiously　at　each　other。

〃Poot！〃　screamed　Peter；　peering　into　the　hole　again。　　All　was　still。　　The　black　water　gave　no　sign；　it　was　already　glazing　on　top。

Van　Mounen　turned　mysteriously　to　Ben。　//　〃DIDN'T　H