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Dodge, Mary Mapes, 1831-1905

"Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates"

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.


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