It was too late to go
in. I say, boys, it is really wonderful how much Ben knows.
Why, he has told me a volume of Dutch history already. I'll
wager he has the siege of Leyden at his tongue's end."
"His tongue must burn, then," interposed Ludwig, "for if
Bilderdyk's account is true, it was a pretty hot affair."
Ben was looking at them with an inquiring smile.
"We are speaking of the siege of Leyden," explained Lambert.
"Oh, yes," said Ben, eagerly, "I had forgotten all about it.
This was the very place. Let's give old Van der Werf three
cheers. Hur--"
Van Mounen uttered a hasty "Hush!" and explained that, patriotic
as the Dutch were, the police would soon have something to say if
a party of boys cheered in the street at midday.
"What? Not cheer Van der Werf?" cried Ben, indignantly. "One of
the greatest chaps in history? Only think! Didn't he hold out
against those murderous Spaniards for months and months? There
was the town, surrounded on all sides by the enemy; great black
forts sending fire and death into the very heart of the city--but
no surrender! Every man a hero--women and children, too, brave
and fierce as lions, provisions giving out, the very grass from
between the paving stones gone--till people were glad to eat
horses and cats and dogs and rats.
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