stranger--_death_--slipped away," says Dr.
Hillis, who tells the story, saying: "I always keep my pledge." So they
buried the man with the land-hunger.

The Russian people have just gotten a taste of liberty and are as crazy
as was the man with the land-hunger. All hope and trust that they will
see their condition before the nation comes to a death struggle, but
they have passed the meridian and entered the dangerous part of the day
and if the leader does not soon come who can stop their onward sweep,
they will be in the last great struggle and the death rattle will be
heard. But terrible as the situation is at this writing, however, there
are some signs of a better day, and as long as there is life there is
hope. Some of us still believe that the day will come when Russia will
be a mighty and powerful nation.

CHAPTER VIII

THE NATION THAT CONQUERS THE SEA--HOLLAND

We read in ancient history that Xerxes whipped the sea, but this chapter
will give a glimpse of a nation that conquers the sea. A million acres
of the best land in Holland have actually been rescued from the water,
and at this hour a large lake is being drained which means that hundreds
of thousands of acres will soon be rescued from the sea and be made to
blossom as the rose.

The country of Holland is about the size of the state of Maryland.
One-fourth of its entire area is below the sea level, and its great
dykes were they placed end to end, would make an immense dam more than
fifteen hundred miles long and in some places from thirty to sixty feet
high. Almost the entire country is a network of canals. A single one of
these canals cost more than fifteen million dollars and it is less than
fifty miles in length.

The faith of these Holland people in times of adversity is one of the
wonders of history. For a hundred years they struggled against powerful
Spain, but their faith saved them. It is said that at the siege of
Leyden they were reduced to such desperate straits that all they had to
eat was dogs and cats. In derision they were called "dog and cat
eaters." They replied to their enemies: "As long as you hear the bark of
a dog or the mew of a cat the city holds. When these are gone we will
devour out left arms, retaining the right to defend our homes and our
freedom. When all are gone we will set fire to the city and with our
wives and children perish rather than see our families destroyed and our
religion desecrated."

Think of it! A