"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, and got my words mixed up a little. But a Dutch elm beats everything; it is the noblest tree on earth, Ben--if you except the English oak----" "Aye," said Ben, solemnly, "_if_ you except the English oak"--and for some moments he could scarcely see the canal because Robby and Jenny kept bobbing in the air before his eyes. XVIII FRIENDS IN NEED Meantime, the other boys were listening to Peter's account of an incident which had long ago occurred[22] in a part of the city where stood an ancient castle, whose lord had tyrannized over the burghers of the town to such an extent, that they surrounded his castle, and laid siege to it. Just at the last extremity, when the haughty lord felt that he could hold out no longer, and was preparing to sell his life as dearly as possible, his lady appeared on the ramparts, and offered to surrender everything, provided she was permitted to bring out, and retain, as much of her most precious household goods as she could carry upon her back. The promise was given--and forth came the lady from the gateway bearing her husband upon her shoulders. The burghers' pledge preserved him from the fury of the troops, but left them free to wreak their vengeance upon the castle. [Footnote 22: Sir Thomas Carr's Tour through Holland.] "Do you _believe_ that story, Captain Peter?" asked Carl, in an incredulous tone. "Of course, I do; it is historical. Why should I doubt it?" "Simply because no woman could do it--and, if she could, she wouldn't. That is _my_ opinion." "And _I_ believe there are many who _would_.--That is, to save any one they really cared for," said Ludwig. Jacob, who in spite of his fat and sleepiness, was of rather a sentimental turn, had listened with deep interest. "That is right, little fellow," he said, nodding his head approvingly. "I believe every word of it. I shall never marry a woman who would not be glad to do as much for _me_." "Heaven help her!" cried Carl, turning to gaze at the speaker; "why, Poot, three _men_ couldn't do it!" "Perhaps not," said Jacob quietly--feeling that he had asked rather too much of the future Mrs. Poot. "But she must be _willing_, that is all."