one whose name so oft
Is named with loving tears.
And his deed shall be sung by the cradle,
And told to the child on the knee,
So long as the dikes of Holland
Divide the land from the sea."

They had now come to the Y, an inlet of the Zuyder Zee, where several of
the men under Mr. Lacelle were at work.

"Here we are," said Eric, gladly. "Here we are! Now for my 'thrilling
experience,' as the newspapers say."

There was a tent close by, into which they stepped to change their dress
for the diver's costume.

"Nobody would know me now, I am sure," said Eric to himself, when, with
much difficulty, and considerable help from the attendants, he emerged
from the tent arrayed in the suit. "I can hardly drag my feet along, they
are so heavy; and I'm decidedly glad that my every-day hat is not like
this helmet."

Mr. Lacelle had given him particular directions about diving, and now the
life-line and air-hose were adjusted, and the brave boy stood beside the
professional diver, waiting for the descent.

The signal was given, and soon Eric was going down underneath the blue,
cold waves. He could not see Mr. Lacelle; it seemed as if he were never to
stop going down: the water sang around his ears; and seeing nothing but
water made him giddy and faint. He thought he must certainly smother, and,
for an instant, was thoroughly afraid.

Then he remembered that, at a single touch of the life-line, the men above
would instantly draw him up, and, feeling quite at his ease again, began
to look about him. To his great joy he saw the bottom, and was presently
upon it, and walking towards Mr. Lacelle.

Suddenly a sound like heavy peals of thunder reverberated through the
water. At a motion from Mr. Lacelle, Eric looked quickly upward, and saw a
school of tiny fish, darting with great velocity towards them, and several
large fishes in pursuit of the little ones.

On they came, straight towards Eric and Mr. Lacelle; but just before
reaching them, they turned sharply off in the opposite direction; as they
turned, the noise increased to a heavy peal, and ceased as they passed
from sight.

"How wonderful!" exclaimed Eric, involuntarily; and his voice sounded like
roaring and screaming, though he had spoken quite softly.

Mr. Lacelle then held at arm's length a small cartridge, which he
signalled, by the lines, for the men above to ignite. Almost instantly it
explo