eker," said Lambert. "Someone is dead."

"Is that the way men dress in mourning in this country?"

"Oh, no! The aanspreeker attends funerals, and it is his business, when
anyone dies, to notify all the friends and relatives."

"What a strange custom."

"Well," said Lambert, "we needn't feel very badly about this particular
death, for I see another man has lately been born to the world to fill
up the vacant place."

Ben stared. "How do you know that?"

"Don't you see that pretty red pincushion hanging on yonder door?" asked
Lambert in return.

"Yes."

"Well, that's a boy."

"A boy! What do you mean?"

"I mean that here in Haarlem, whenever a boy is born, the parents have a
red pincushion put out at the door. If our young friend had been a girl
instead of a boy, the cushion would have been white. In some places they
have much more fanciful affairs, all trimmed with lace, and even among
the very poorest houses you will see a bit of ribbon or even a string
tied on the door latch--"

"Look!" screamed Ben. "There IS a white cushion at the door of that
double-joined house with the funny roof."

"I don't see any house with a funny roof."

"Oh, of course not," said Ben. "I forgot you're a native, but all the
roofs are queer to me, for that matter. I mean the house next to that
green building."

"True enough, there's a girl! I tell you what, captain," called out
Lambert, slipping easily into Dutch, "we must get out of this street
as soon as possible. It's full of babies! They'll set up a squall in a
moment."

The captain laughed. "I shall take you to hear better music than that,"
he said. "We are just in time to hear the organ of Saint Bavon. The
church is open today."

"What, the great Haarlem organ?" asked Ben. "That will be a treat
indeed. I have often read of it, with its tremendous pipes, and its vox
humana *{An organ stop which produces an effect resembling the human
voice.} that sounds like a giant singing."

"The same," answered Lambert van Mounen.

Peter was right. The church was open, though not for religious services.
Someone was playing upon the organ. As the boys entered, a swell of
sound rushed forth to meet them. It seemed to bear them, one by one,
into the shadows of the building.

Louder and louder it grew until it became like the din and roar of some
mighty tempest, or like the ocean surging upon the shore. In the midst
of the tumult a tinkling bell was heard; another answered, then ano