t to see her with her crown and coronation robes on, and
with the sceptre in her hand?" laughed the professor.

"Not exactly; but I was not prepared to see a lady so much like any
well-dressed woman we meet in the street."

"Let me see," said Mr. Mapps, glancing at the shore, intent upon
renewing his favorite topic, "Fort St. Laurent must have been here; and
this is where Van Speyk went down, or rather went up."

"Who was Van Speyk?"

"He was the commander of a Dutch gunboat, in the revolution of 1830. His
vessel wouldn't come about--what do you call it?"

"Missed stays, sir," replied Captain Haven.

"Missed stays, and got aground right under the guns of the fort. He was
ordered to surrender, but refused to do so, though there was not the
least chance for him to make a successful resistance. He was determined
that the rebels should not have his vessel, and, rushing down into the
powder-magazine, he said his prayers, and coolly laid his lighted cigar
on an open barrel of powder. An explosion followed which shook the whole
city. Twenty-eight, out of thirty-one on board, including the heroic
captain, were killed--blown up into the air. A monument to his memory
was erected by the side of that of De Ruiter, and the government pledged
itself that a vessel in the Dutch navy should always bear the name of
Van Speyk."

"He was a good fellow," replied the captain, warmly.

CHAPTER XV.

THE PROFESSOR'S CHARGE.

"I say, Perth, I've been a good boy for more than a week, and I begin to
be ashamed of myself for my want of activity," said Wilton, who had
seated himself on the bowsprit-cap, while his companion was reclining on
the flying jib. "I shall spoil if there is not something going on soon."

"We'll go on that cruise in the Josephine just as soon as we can bring
things round right," added Perth.

"It's no use to think of that while we are moored fifty or a hundred
miles from the sea," continued Wilton.

"Of course not. Rotterdam is away up the river, with a bar at its mouth
having only seven feet of water on it at low tide. You must go over
that, or by the canal, which runs through an island. Do you know where
we go next?"

"I heard some of the fellows say we were going to the southward soon."

"If that's so I should suppose we shall go into Dieppe or Havre," said
Perth.

"I heard Havre mentioned. How will that suit?"

"First rate!" exclaimed the embryo captain of the proposed prize, for
the Knights