DIKES AND DITCHES

PREFACE.


DIKES AND DITCHES, the fourth of the "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD" series, is a
continuation of the history of the Academy Ship and her consort in the
waters of Holland and Belgium. As in its predecessors, those parts of
the book which lie within the domain of history and fact are intended to
be entirely reliable; and great care has been used to make them so. The
author finds his notes so copious, and his recollections of the Low
Countries so full of interest, that he has felt obliged to devote a
considerable portion of the work to the geography and history of the
country, and to the manners and customs of the people; but there is so
much that is novel in the region itself, and so much that is stirring
and even "sensational" in the history of the sturdy patriots of Holland,
that he hopes his young friends will not complain of the proportion in
which he has mingled his material. It would be a very great happiness to
him to have excited a sufficient degree of interest in these countries
to induce the boys and girls to read Mr. Motley's inimitable works, "The
Rise of the Dutch Republic," and "The History of the United
Netherlands." The writer is confident that young people will find these
volumes quite as attractive as the story books of the day.

DIKES AND DITCHES has its independent story of the adventures of the
students. Though the Academy Squadron has thus far been remarkably
fortunate in the character of its instructors, Professor Hamblin proves
to be an exception, and the crews of the ship and her consort are
unhappily plunged into sundry disciplinary tribulations by his
overstrained dignity, and by his want of discretion. The young
commander of the Josephine suffers from the evils of a divided
authority, which brings him into conflict with the senior instructor
before experience suggests the remedy. While the principal is compelled
to punish the students for their misconduct in "hazing" the obnoxious
professor, he also finds it necessary to abate the nuisance of a
conceited, overbearing, and tyrannical pedagogue. Boys cannot be
expected to be angels in school, until their instructors have soared to
this sublime height.

The author of the series, more than ever encouraged by the hearty and
generous favor of his readers, submits this volume to their
consideration, trusting that they will at least appreciate his earnest
efforts not only to please, but to instruct them.

HARRISON SQUARE, MASS.,
April 9, 1868.




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE PROFESSOR AND THE CAPTAIN. 11

II. A SQUALL IN THE GERMAN OCEAN. 27

III. SOMETHING ABOUT DIKES. 43

IV. UP THE SCHELDT TO FLUSHING. 59

V. CAPTAIN SCHIMMELPENNINK. 76

VI. PROFESSOR HAMBLIN CHANGES HIS MIND. 93

VII. THE LECTURE ON BELGIUM. 110

VIII. ANTWERP AND RUBENS. 129

IX. TROUBLE ON BOARD THE JOSEPHINE. 146

X. WHO WAS CAPTAIN OF THE JOSEPHINE. 162

XI. ON THE WAY TO GHENT. 179

XII. IN BELGIUM'S CAPITAL. 195

XIII. THREE CHEERS FOR THE KING OF BELGIUM. 213

XIV. THE VICE-PRINCIPAL. 230

XV. THE PROFESSOR'S CHARGE. 245

XVI. CAPTAIN KENDALL'S DEFENCE. 262

XVII. MORE ABOUT THE DIKES AND DITCHES. 278

XVIII. AN EXCURSION AMONG THE DIKES. 293

XIX. A RUN THROUGH HOLLAND. 310

XX. ADIEU TO HOLLAND AND PROFESSOR HAMBLIN. 328