or, The Silver Skates 145

History, we may go on the grand canal again. If we had more
time, it would be pleasant to take Benjamin up the Blue
Stairs.”

“© What are the Blue Stairs, Lambert ?” asked Ben.

“They are the highest point of the Dunes. ‘You have a
grand view of the ocean from there, besides a fine chance to
see how wonderful these Dunes are. One can hardly believe
that the wind could ever heap up sand in so remarkable a way.
But we have to go through Bloemendal to get there, — not a
very pretty village, and some distance from here. What do
you say?”

“Oh! I am ready for anything. For my part, I would
rather steer direct for Leyden; but we’ll do as the captain
says — hey, Jacob?”

“Ya, dat ish goot,” said Jacob, who felt decidedly more
like taking another nap than ascending the Blue Stairs.

The captain was in favor of going to Leyden.

“It’s four long miles from here. (Full sixteen of your
English miles, Benjamin.) We have no time to lose, if you
wish to reach there before midnight. Decide quickly, boys,—
Blue Stairs, or Leyden?”

“‘ Leyden,” they answered, and were out of Haarlem in a
twinkling, admiring the lofty tower-like windmills and pretty
country-seats as they left the city behind them.

“If you really wish to see Haarlem,” said Lambert to Ben,
after they had skated a while in silence, « you should visit it
in summer. It is the greatest place in the world for beautiful
flowers. The walks around the city are superb; and the
‘Wood’ with its miles of noble elms, all in full feather, is
something to remember. You need not smile, old fellow, at
my saying ‘full feather’: I was thinking of waving plumes,

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