e the margin of a
fountain,--with little platforms extending out here and there, where
neatly-dressed girls and women were washing.

On the other side of the road, down ten feet or more below the level of
it, was a range of houses, with yards, gardens, and fields about them.
The way to these houses was by paths leading down from the dike on which
the road was built, and across little bridges built over a small canal
which extended between them and the dike. This small canal was for the
draining of the land on which the houses stood. The water in this canal
had a gentle flow towards the end of the street, where there was a wind
mill to pump it up into the great canal on the other side of the street.

As Rollo and Mr. George walked along this road, it was very curious to
them to see the water on one side so much higher than the land on the
other. At the intervals between the houses they obtained glimpses of the
interior of the country, which consisted of level fields lying far below
where they were standing, and intersected in every direction by small
canals, which served the purpose at the same time of fences, roads, and
drains. There seemed to be no other divisions than these between the
lands of the different proprietors, and no other roads for bringing home
the hay or grain, or other produce which might be raised in the fields.

In pursuing their walk around the town, our travellers were continually
coming to objects so curious in their construction and use, as to arrest
their attention and cause them to stop and examine them. At one place
they saw a little ferry boat, which looked precisely like a little
floating room. It was square, and had a roof over it like a house, with
seats for the passengers below. This boat plied to and fro across the
canal, by means of a rope fastened to each shore, and running over
pulleys in the boat.

"We might take this ferry boat," said Mr. George, "and go across the
canal into the town again. See, it lands opposite to one of the
streets."

"Yes," said Rollo, "but I would rather keep on, and go all around the
town outside."

"We might go over in the ferry boat just for the fun of it," said Mr.
George, "and then come back again."

"Well," said Rollo. "How much do you suppose the toll is?"

"I don't know," said Mr. George. "It can't be much, it is such a small
boat, and goes such a little way; and then, besides, I know it must be
cheap, or else there could not so many of these g