"Mamma," said Nettie, "I should think they would break their necks every minute. Just look at those canals, right in the street, and nothing to keep people from falling into them. What do they do in dark nights?" "How do they light the streets, papa?" asked Eric. "By oil lamps, hung on ropes from the houses to the trees," said Mr. Hyde. "They have gas on the High Street." Allan's attention had been attracted by some curious little structures outside the lower windows of several of the houses. "What are they?" he asked. "Looking-glasses," said Mr. Hyde. "Looking-glasses, papa! _Outside_ their windows?" exclaimed Nettie. "Yes, dear; they are hung so as to reflect the passing objects to the people inside." "Then they can see whatever is going on in the streets below, without coming to the windows," said Eric. "What a funny custom!" exclaimed Nettie, again. The only building they visited was the Church of St. Lawrence, where they saw the famous great organ, a splendid structure, larger than the great organs of Haarlem and Boston. It is one hundred and fifty feet high, mounted upon a colonnade fifty feet high, and has five thousand five hundred pipes. In the market-place they saw a statue of the great scholar Erasmus, and "the house where he was born," which is now, alas! a gin-shop. From the _Boomptjes_, a fine quay, planted with rows of beautiful trees, and surrounded by elegant, dark brick mansions, our party chartered a little sail boat, and went out upon the Maas. The beautiful, quiet Maas, with Rotterdam's green, woody banks in view; the blue, blue sky, seen clearly in the limpid waters; the steamers coming and going, and birds flying around, adding their sweet notes to nature's harmony--this beautiful picture was one remembered by the children all their lives. To-morrow's parting hung its shadow over them, and softened their hearts to the true beauty everywhere expressed. The sun had set when they reached the Vyverberg for the last time. "Mamma," said Eric, regretfully, "I almost wish I was going home with you all." "Uncle Charlie may come to-night," said his mother, cheerfully. "At any rate, he will soon come. You would then wish you had staid." "Yes, I know," said Eric. "But it is very hard to let you all go home without me, for all that." Very careful directions were given to Eric, and he was placed under the care of the landlord until he should hear from his uncle. The evening was very short to Eric, who lingered by his mother, and could not bear to leave her side, knowing he should see her no more for a long, long year. Long after Nettie and Allan had left them, he staid with his parents, listening to their last kind advice, and sending little loving messages to his cousins and schoolmates.