steady and patient, and resolved to defend their independence to
the last. This they have indeed proved by the wonderful resistance
they have made against the power of Spain. There, you see the ship's
head has been turned and we shall before long be in the channel.
Sluys lies up that channel on the right. It is an important place.
Large vessels can go no further, but are unloaded there and the
cargoes taken to Bruges and thence distributed to many other towns.
They say that in 1468 as many as a hundred and fifty ships a day
arrived at Sluys. That gives you an idea of the trade that the
Netherlands carry on. The commerce of this one town was as great
as is that of London at the present time. But since the troubles
the trade of Sluys has fallen off a good deal."

The ship had to anchor here for two or three hours until the tide
turned, for the wind had fallen very light and they could not make
head against the ebb. As soon as it turned they again proceeded on
their way, dropping quietly up with the tide. The boys climbed up
into the tops, and thence could see a wide extent of country dotted
with villages stretching beyond the banks, which restricted their
view from the decks. In five hours Bergen op Zoom came in sight,
and they presently dropped anchor opposite the town. The boat was
lowered, and the two officers with the lads were rowed ashore. They
were met as they landed by several young officers.

"Welcome back, Vere; welcome, Allen. You have been lucky indeed
in having a few days in England, and getting a view of something
besides this dreary flat country and its sluggish rivers. What is
the last news from London?"

"There is little news enough," Vere replied. "We were only four