these Dutch households? I fear that the maids would have a hard
time of it afterwards, and our father would be fairly driven out
of his library."

"It is all very well to be clean," Lionel said; "but I think they
carry it too far here. Peace and quietness count for something, and
it doesn't seem to me that Dutchmen, fond of it as they say they
are, know even the meaning of the words as far as their homes are
concerned. Why, it always seems to be cleaning day, and they must
be afraid of going into their own houses with their boots on!"

"Yes, I felt quite like a criminal today," Geoffrey laughed, "when
I came in muddy up to the waist, after working down there by the
sluices. I believe when the Spaniards open fire these people will
be more distracted by the dust caused by falling tiles and chimneys
than by any danger of their lives."

Great difficulties beset the Duke of Parma at the commencement of
the siege. Sluys was built upon the only piece of solid ground in
the district, and it was surrounded by such a labyrinth of canals,
ditches, and swamps, that it was said that it was almost as
difficult to find Sluys as it was to capture it. Consequently, it
was impossible to find ground solid enough for a camp to be pitched
upon, and the first labour was the erection of wooden huts for the
troops upon piles driven into the ground. These huts were protected
from the fire of the defenders by bags of earth brought in boats
from a long distance. The main point selected for the attack was
the western gate; but batteries were also placed to play upon the
castle and the bridge of boats connecting it with the town.