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The　Red　Lion　Becomes　Dangerous



The　boys　were　glad　to　find　a　blazing　fire　awaiting　them　upon　their　return　to　the　Red　Lion。　　Carl　and　his　party　were　there　first。　　Soon　afterward　Peter　and　Jacob　came　in。　　They　had　inquired　in　vain　concerning　Dr。　Boekman。　　All　they　could　ascertain　was　that　he　had　been　seen　in　Haarlem　that　morning。

〃As　for　his　being　in　Leyden；〃　the　landlord　of　the　Golden　Eagle　had　said　to　Peter；　〃the　thing　is　impossible。　　He　always　lodges　here　when　in　town。　　By　this　time　there　would　be　a　crowd　at　my　door　waiting　to　consult　him。　　Bah！　　People　make　such　fools　of　themselves！〃

〃He　is　called　a　great　surgeon；〃　said　Peter。

〃Yes；　the　greatest　in　Holland。　　But　what　of　that？　　What　of　being　the　greatest　pill　choker　and　knife　slasher　in　the　world？　　The　man　is　a　bear。　　Only　last　month　on　this　very　spot；　he　called　me　a　PIG；　before　three　customers！〃

〃No！〃　exclaimed　Peter；　trying　to　look　surprised　and　indignant。

〃Yes；　masterA　PIG；〃　repeated　the　landlord；　puffing　at　his　pipe　with　an　injured　air。　　〃Bah！　　If　he　did　not　pay　fine　prices　and　bring　customers　to　my　house；　I　would　sooner　see　him　in　the　Vleit　Canal　than　give　him　lodging。〃

Perhaps　mine　host　felt　that　he　was　speaking　too　openly　to　a　stranger；　or　it　may　be　he　saw　a　smile　lurking　in　Peter's　face；　for　he　added　sharply；　〃Come；　now；　what　more　do　you　wish？　　Supper？　　Beds？〃

〃No；　mynheer；　I　am　but　searching　for　Dr。　Boekman。〃

〃Go　find　him。　　He　is　not　in　Leyden。〃

Peter　was　not　to　be　put　off　so　easily。　　He　succeeded　in　obtaining　permission　to　leave　a　note　for　the　famous　surgeon；　or　rather；　he　BOUGHT　from　his　amiable　landlord　the　privilege　of　writing　it　there；　and　a　promise　that　it　should　be　promptly　delivered　when　Dr。　Boekman　arrived。　　This　accomplished；　Peter　and　Jacob　returned　to　the　Red　Lion。

This　inn　had　once　been　a　fine　house；　the　home　of　a　rich　burgher；　but　having　grown　old　and　shabby；　it　had　passed　through　many　hands；　until　finally　it　had　fallen　into　the　possession　of　Mynheer　Kleef。　　He　was　fond　of　saying　as　he　looked　up　at　its　dingy；　broken　walls；　〃Mend　it　and　paint　it；　and　there's　not　a　prettier　house　in　Leyden。〃　　It　stood　six　stories　high　from　the　street。　　The　first　three　were　of　equal　breadth　but　of　various　heights；　the　last　three　were　in　the　great；　high　roof；　and　grew　smaller　and　smaller　like　a　set　of　double　steps　until　the　top　one　was　lost　in　a　point。　　The　roof　was　built　of　short；　shining　tiles；　and　the　windows；　with　their　little　panes；　seemed　to　be　scattered　irregularly　over　the　face　of　the　building；　without　the　slightest　attention　to　outward　effect。　　But　the　public　room　on　the　ground　floor　was　the　landlord's　joy　and　pride。　　He　never　said；　〃Mend　it　and　paint　it；〃　there；　for　everything　was　in　the　highest　condition　of　Dutch　neatness　and　order。　　If　you　will　but　open　your　mind's　eye；　you　may　look　into　the　apartment。

Imagine　a　large；　bare　room；　with　a　floor　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　squares　cut　out　of　glazed　earthen　pie…dishes；　first　a　yellow　piece；　then　a　red；　until　the　whole　looked　like　a　vast　checkerboard。　　Fancy　a　dozen　high…backed　wooden　chairs　standing　around；　then　a　great　hollow　chimney　place　all　aglow　with　its　blazing　fire；　reflected　a　hundred　times　in　the　polished　steel　firedogs；　a　tiled　hearth；　tiled　sides；　tiled　top；　with　a　Dutch　sentence　upon　it；　and　over　all；　high　above　one's　head；　a　narrow　mantleshelf；　filled　with　shining　brass　candlesticks；　pipe　lighters；　and　tinderboxes。　　Then　see；　in　one　end　of　the　room；　three　pine　tables；　in　the　other；　a　closet　and　a　deal　dresser。　　The　latter　is　filled　with　mugs；　dishes；　pipes；　tankards；　earthen　and　glass　bottles；　and　is　guarded　at　one　end　by　a　brass…hooped　keg　standing　upon　long　legs。　　Everything　is　dim　with　tobacco　smoke；　but　otherwise　as　clean　as　soap　and　sand　can　make　it。

Next；　picture　two　sleepy；　shabby…looking　men；　in　wooden　shoes；　seated　near　the　glowing　fireplace；　hugging　their　knees　and　smoking　short；　stumpy　pipes；　Mynheer　Kleef　walking　softly　and　heavily　about；　clad　in　leather　knee　breeches；　felt　shoes；　and　a　green　jacket　wider　than　it　is　long；　then　throw　a　heap　of　skates　in　the　corner　and　put　six　tired　well…dressed　boys；　in　various　attitudes；　upon　the　wooden　chairs；　and　you　will　see　the　coffee　room　of　the　Red　Lion　just　as　it　appeared　at　nine　o'clock　upon　the　evening　of　December　6；　184。　　For　supper；　gingerbread　again；　slices　of　Dutch　sausage；　rye　bread　sprinkled　with　anise　seed；　pickles；　a　bottle　of　Utrecht　water；　and　a　pot　of　very　mysterious　coffee。　　The　boys　were　ravenous　enough　to　take　all　they　could　get　and　pronounce　it　excellent。　　Ben　made　wry　faces；　but　Jacob　declared　he　had　never　eaten　a　better　meal。　　After　they　had　laughed　and　talked　awhile；　and　counted　their　money　by　way　of　settling　a　discussion　that　arose　concerning　their　expenses；　the　captain　marched　his　company　off　to　bed；　led　on　by　a　greasy　pioneer　boy　who　carried　skates　and　a　candlestick　instead　of　an　ax。

One　of　the　ill…favored　men　by　the　fire　had　shuffled　toward　the　dresser　and　was　ordering　a　mug　of　beer；　just　as　Ludwig；　who　brought　up　the　rear；　was　stepping　from　the　apartment。　　〃I　don't　like　that　fellow's　eye；〃　he　whispered　to　Carl。　　〃He　looks　like　a　pirate　or　something　of　that　kind。〃

〃Looks　like　a　granny！〃　answered　Carl　in　sleepy　disdain。

Ludwig　laughed　uneasily。

〃Granny　or　no　granny；〃　he　whispered；　〃I　tell　you　he　looks　just　like　one　of　those　men　in　the　voetspoelen。〃

〃Pooh！〃　sneered　Carl；　〃I　knew　it。　　That　picture　was　too　much　for　you。　　Look　sharp　now；　and　see　if　yon　fellow　with　the　candle　doesn't　look　like　the　other　villain。〃

〃No；　indeed；　his　face　is　as　honest　as　a　Gouda　cheese。　　But；　I　say；　Carl；　that　really　was　a　horrid　picture。〃

〃Humph！　　What　did　you　stare　at　it　so　long　for？〃

〃I　couldn't　help　it。〃

By　this　time　the　boys　had　reached　the　〃beautiful　room　with　three　beds　in　it。〃　　A　dumpy　little　maiden　with　long　earrings　met　them　at　the　doorway；　dropped　them　a　curtsy；　and　passed　out。　　She　carried　a　long…handled　thing　that　resembled　a　frying　pan　with　a　cover。

〃I　am　glad　to　see　that；〃　said　Van　Mounen　to　Ben。

〃What？〃

〃Why；　the　warming　pan。　　It's　full　of　hot　ashes；　she's　been　heating　our　beds。〃

〃Oh；　a　warming　pan；　eh！　　Much　obliged　to　her；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Ben；　too　sleepy　to　make　any　further　comment。

Meantime；　Ludwig　still　talked　of　the　picture　that　had　made　such　a　strong　impression　upon　him。　　He　had　seen　it　in　a　shop　window　during　their　walk。　　It　was　a　poorly　painted　thing；　representing　two　men　tied　back　to　back；　standing　on　shipboard；　surrounded　by　a　group　of　seamen　who　were　preparing　to　cast　them　together　into　the　sea。　　This　mode　of　putting　prisoners　to　death　was　called　voetspoelen；　or　feet　washing；　and　was　practiced　by　the　Dutch　upon　the　pirates　of　Dunkirk　in　1605；　and　again　by　the　Spaniards　against　the　Dutch；　in　the　horrible　massacre　that　followed　the　siege　of　Haarlem。　　Bad　as　the　painting　was；　the　expression　upon　the　pirates'　faces　was　well　given。　　Sullen　and　despairing　as　they　seemed；　they　wore　such　a　cruel；　malignant　aspect　that　Ludwig　had　felt　a　secret　satisfaction　in　contemplating　their　helpless　condition。　　he　might　have　forgotten　the　scene　by　this　time　but　for　that　ill…looking　man　by　the　fire。　　Now；　while　he　capered　about；　boylike；　and　threw　himself　with　an　antic　into　his　bed；　he　inwardly　hoped　that　the　voetspoelen　would　not　haunt　his　dreams。

It　was　a　cold；　cheerless　room；　a　fire　had　been　newly　kindled　in　the　burnished　stove　and　seemed　to　shiver　even　while　it　was　trying　to　burn。　　The　windows；　with　their　funny　little　panes；　were　bare　and　shiny；　and　the　cold　waxed　floor　looked　like　a　sheet　of　yellow　ice。　　Three　rush…bottomed　chairs　stood　stiffly　against　the　wall；　alternating　with　three　narrow　wooden　bedsteads　that　made　the　room　look　like　the　deserted　ward　of　a　hospital。　　At　any　other　time　the　boys　would　have　found　it　quite　impossible　to　sleep　in　pairs；　especially　in　such　narrow　quarters；　but　tonight　they　lost　all　fear　of　being　crowded　and　longed　only　to　lay　their　weary　bodies　upon　the　feather　beds　that　lay　lightly　upon　each　cot。　　Had　the　boys　been　in　Germany　instead　of　Holland；　they　might　have　been　covered；　also；　by　a　bed　of　down　or　feathers。　　This　peculiar　form　of　luxury　was　at　that　time　adopted　only　by　wealthy　or　eccentric　Hollanders。

Ludwig；　as　we　have　seen；　had　not　quite　lost　his　friskiness；　but　the　other　boys；　after　one　or　two　feeble　attempts　at　pillow　firing；　composed　themselves　for　the　night　with　the　greatest　dignity。　　Nothing　like　fatigue　for　making　boys　behave　themselves！

〃Good　night；　boys！〃　said　Peter's　voice　from　under　the　covers。

〃Good　night；〃　called　back　everybody　but　Jacob；　who　already　lay　snoring　beside　the　captain。

〃I　say；〃　shouted　Carl　after　a　moment；　〃don't　sneeze；　anybody。　　Ludwig's　in　a　fright！〃

〃No　such　thing；〃　retorted　Ludwig　in　a　smothered　voice。　　Then　there　was　a　little　whispered　dispute；　which　was　ended　by　Carl　saying；　〃For　my　part；　I　don't　know　what　fear　is。　　But　you　really　are　a　timid　fellow；　Ludwig。〃

Ludwig　grunted　sleepily；　but　made　no　further　reply。


It　was　the　middle　of　the　night。　　The　fire　had　shivered　itself　to　death；　and；　in　place　of　its　gleams；　little　squares　of　moonlight　lay　upon　the　floor；　slowly；　slowly　shifting　their　way　across　the　room。　　Something　else　was　moving　also；　but　the　boys　did　not　see　it。　　Sleeping　boys　keep　but　a　poor　lookout。　　During　the　early　hours　of　the　night；　Jacob　Poot　had　been　gradually　but　surely　winding　himself　with　all　the　bed　covers。　　He　now　lay　like　a　monster　chrysalis　beside　the　half…frozen　Peter；　who；　accordingly；　was　skating　with　all　his　might　over　the　coldest；　bleakest　of　dreamland　icebergs。

Something　else；　I　say；　besides　the　moonlight；　was　moving　across　the　bare；　polished　floormoving　not　quite　so　slowly；　but　quite　as　stealthily。

Wake　up；　Ludwig！　　The　voetspoelen　is　growing　real！

No。　　Ludwig　does　not　waken；　but　he　moans　in　his　sleep。

Does　not　Carl　hear　itCarl　the　brave；　the　fearless？

No。　　Carl　is　dreaming　of　the　race。

And　Jacob？　　Van　Mounen？　　Ben？

Not　they。　　They；　too；　are　dreaming　of　the　race；　and　Katrinka　is　singing　through　their　dreamslaughing；　flitting　past　them；　now　and　then　a　wave　from　the　great　organ　surges　through　their　midst。

Still　the　thing　moves；　slowly；　slowly。

Peter！　　Captain　Peter；　there　is　danger！


Peter　heard　no　call；　but　in　his　dream；　h