Bab Bab 23 · The Beleaguered Cities

. The Beleaguered Cities

“This open square before us,” said Lambert, as he and Ben walked on

together, “is pretty in summer, with its shady trees. They call it the

Ruine. Years ago it was covered with houses, and the Rapenburg Canal,

here, ran through the street. Well, one day a barge loaded with forty

thousand pounds of gunpowder, bound for Delft, was lying alongside, and

the bargemen took a notion to cook their dinner on the deck, and before

anyone knew it, sir, the whole thing blew up, killing lots of persons

and scattering about three hundred houses to the winds.”

“What!” exclaimed Ben. “Did the explosion destroy three hundred houses!”

“Yes, sir, my father was in