Mr. Hamblin, as before intimated, did not sleep well on the night in question. The burden of being called to the state department, and even to the royal palaces of Belgium, was very trying to his nerves. When he slept, it was only to dream of the great statesman and revolutionary leader of the Low Countries, in the act of taking him by the hand or of presenting him to his majesty Leopold, "Roi de Belge."
He prepared himself with great care, in his reflections, for the stupendous occasion. He studied up courtly bows, and imagined just how he would look when in the act of making one of them. He pictured to himself various graceful gestures which he intended to use, in order to impress upon the great man the dignity of his character. He arranged the little tableau of his presentation to the king, with all the speeches, interludes, and movements. If the king said certain things, he should say certain other things in reply; and when the interview ended, he was with becoming grace to back out of the royal presence.
Leopold, "Roi de Belge," would probably inform him that he had, either directly or through his faithfulminister, heard of the distinguished Greeksavant; that he had seen or heard of the Greek Grammar he had published, the Greek Reader he had compiled, and the Anabasis he had edited and annotated. It was more than probable that there were copies of these learned and valuable works in the Royal Library; for no library could be complete without them. If they were there, the king would graciously inform him of the fact, as the highest compliment that could be paid to his fame as a Greek scholar. To all this, with his left hand upon his heart, with his right extended, palm prone, at an angle of forty-five degrees with his perpendicular, his body bent in a courteous but dignified bow, he was to reply that his majesty did him too much honor. It would be necessary to deprecate, in some degree, the distinguished consideration awarded to him, and to declare his own unworthiness of the king's notice and favor.
Then, perhaps, the royal Leopold would present him a snuff-box, studded with pearls, diamonds, and rubies,—monarchs have a habit of presenting snuffboxes to men who do not take snuff,—in token of his princely appreciation of the learning of the distinguished American professor. Or, perhaps, "Le Roi de Belge" would inform him that he desired to promote the study of the Greek language and literature in his kingdom, and that he was graciously pleased to appoint him Inspector of Greek, or Librarian of the Greek portion of the Royal Library, with no active duty but that of collecting his salary of twenty thousand francs—liberal princes, as rich as Leopold was reputed to be, often spent their money more foolishly than this, in rewarding distinguished men of learning.
The learned gentleman did not feel a very strong confidence that the king would thus reward his forty years' patient study of the Greek; butifhe should conclude to behave in this rather erratic but highly honorable manner, it would give him a pleasant opportunity of waiting upon Mr. Lowington in his cabin, and politely informing him that he could no longer endure the insults of the Josephines, or countenance their want of appreciation of the privilege of having such a professor of Greek as he was; and that he felt compelled to resign his present position, in order that "Le Roi de Belge" might avail himself of his valuable services.
It would be delightful to make such a call upon the principal of the academy squadron. It would be a grand occasion for a display of dignity. He did not feel that such a pleasant event was likely to occur; but it was not impossible. The fame of his Grammar and other works might have come over the Atlantic while he was transplanting Greek roots in the hard heads of stupid boys. He felt that he deserved some higher token of public appreciation than had yet been bestowed upon him. Why should the Secretary of Foreign Affairs send an autograph letter to him, unless some especial notice was to be taken of him?
An audible voice seemed to say, "Go up higher, friend;" but, alas! that was only the snoring of Professor Stoute, in the berth above him, which his fancy had incorporated into words. There was no voice—only the guttural sounds of his obese room-mate, who was so tired that he breathed with unwonted labor in his sleep. There was no poetry in the snoring of his companion, and the vision was rudely dissolved by the reality. But the invitation to go to court was in his pocket: he could not be cheated out of that, or of his brilliant expectations. Leopold might do the handsome thing, at least as to the snuff-box. It was rather awkward, in view of the approaching interview, that he could not speak French; but the king had lived in London for a time, and doubtless spoke English fluently. Of course the Minister of Foreign Affairs could speak English; but even if he did not, they could meet on the same level in Latin or Greek.
Professor Hamblin did not sleep very well; and he did not sleep any better because Mr. Stoute slept so well, and made the state-room sonorous with the richest base snoring that ever tormented a nervous man. Indeed, the heavy sleeper made it so lively for the light sleeper that the latter was two or three times goaded to the alternative of waking the former, or abandoning the room.
In the course of the night the learned professor had polished up all his little speeches to be recited before the minister, and probably before the king; had nicely adjusted all his bows and gestures, and laid up a magazine of expedients for possible emergencies, such as the presence of the Duke of Brabant, Prince Leopold, and even of "La Reine de Belge;" but the dreamer was glad when the morning came; for the night had been very long, though he had probably slept three quarters of the time; gladder still when he heard thewater splashing on the deck above him, as the watch washed down the quarter-deck, for now he could get up. He did get up, and went out to taste the freshness of the early air.
The young seamen had finished their labor on the quarters, and were at work in the waist. A kind of force-pump, or fire-engine, was attached to the Josephine, to save labor in washing down the decks, and to be used in case of fire below. It was provided with a sufficient length of hose to reach all parts of the vessel, and was worked by a single brake, manned by four hands. With this apparatus the boys were deluging the decks with water, one of them holding the pipe, and half a dozen scrubbing the planks with long-handled brushes.
A fire-engine, or indeed anything that will squirt, is a great luxury to the boys, with whom "running with the machine" is a constitutional tendency. The novelty of the Josephine's force-pump had not yet worn away, and it contributed in no small degree to alleviate the hard and ungentlemanly labor of washing down decks.
Mr. Hamblin was not a boy, and he had a constitutional dislike of fire-engines and all hydraulic apparatus, partly, perhaps, because the boys liked it. The quarter-deck was still wet with the drenching it had received, and the professor did not like to dampen his feet on the one hand, or retreat to the close cabin on the other. He did what Americans are very apt to do when situated between the two horns of a dilemma—he compromised between the difficulties by seating himself on the fife-rail between a couple of belaying-pins.He was careful to place himself abaft the mainmast, so that the wicked engine would not spatter him.
He sat on the fife-rail and began to think of the king and the minister again; but his reflections this time were very brief, and if his fancy burned again with glowing anticipation, the flame was suddenly quenched by a stream of water directed at the foot of the mast, which spattered his lower extremities very badly.
"What are you about, you rascal?" roared the learned gentleman, springing from his perch to the deck.
But it would have been better for him to remain where he was, for the instant his feet struck the deck, the full force of the stream from the hose-pipe saluted him squarely in the face, filling his mouth with water, and well nigh overthrowing him with its violence. This was a sad accident. McDougal, one of the quartermasters, held the pipe. At the moment the professor sprang from the fife-rail, the hoseman was looking behind him, his attention having been called away from his work by a remark of one of the hands at the brake.
"What do you mean, you rascal?" sputtered Mr. Hamblin, attempting to free his mouth of the dirty Scheldt water which had been forced into it.
"That's number three," whispered one of the brake-men to another.
"Hush up!" replied the one addressed, from the corner of his mouth.
McDougal dropped the hose, and rushed aft to the place where the unhappysavantstood.
"You impertinent puppy!" cried Mr. Hamblin, soiling his white handkerchief with the foul water upon his face.
"O, dear! What have I done!" groaned McDougal, clasping his hands in an agony of dismay. "I beg your pardon! I didn't see you, sir. O, what have I done!" And the wretched hoseman actually threw himself on his knees upon the wet deck, and implored the forgiveness of the injured magnate of the school-room.
"You meant to do it!" exclaimed the implacable pedagogue.
"No, sir! Indeed, I did not! Won't you forgive me?" pleaded McDougal, still upon his knees.
"What does all this mean?" demanded Pelham, who was officer of the deck, as he rushed to the spot from the topgallant forecastle, where he had gone to keep out of the way of the splashing waters.
"O, Mr. Pelham," groaned the hoseman, "I am so sorry!"
"Get up!" said Pelham to the culprit, sternly, for anything like servility was very disgusting to him, and probably he had his own views in regard to Mr. Hamblin.
McDougal obeyed this imperative command, and though, ordinarily, a young man of nerve and of much self-possession, he appeared to be trembling with apprehension. His lips quivered, his knees smote against each other, and he stood wringing his hands, apparently in the most abject terror.
"I didn't mean to do it, Mr. Pelham," chattered the miserable hoseman.
"Mr. Pelham, in my opinion this act was deliberately contrived and carried out," said Mr. Hamblin, severely, though he was evidently somewhat moved by the misery of the culprit.
"I am very sorry for it, sir, whether it was done on purpose or by accident," replied Pelham. "Where were you, sir, when it happened?"
"I was sitting on that frame," answered Mr. Hamblin, pointing to the place.
"On the fife-rail?"
"Yes; if that is the name of the frame."
"Yes, sir; and he was behind the mast, and I didn't see him," pleaded McDougal. "I saw some dirt on deck at the foot of the mast, and I threw the stream there. I couldn't see Mr. Hamblin—indeed I couldn't, sir."
"I would not complain of the act if that had been all, for I was simply spattered; but when I stepped down, the stream was directed full into my face."
"I didn't mean to do it, sir. One of the brake-men hollered to me, and I turned to see what he wanted, and when I did so, I raised up the hose; and I suppose that's what made the stream hit Mr. Hamblin in the face," groaned McDougal.
"Yes, sir," interposed the brakeman, who had designated the act as "number three." "I saw Mr. Hamblin, and I sung out to McDougal to turn the hose. He turned round and asked me what I said, and before I could answer Mr. Hamblin cried out to him."
"So far as I can see, it appears to be an accident,sir," added Pelham; "but I will report it to the captain."
"O, Mr. Pelham, don't report me to the captain!" begged McDougal. "He will send me back to the ship. I didn't mean to do it; it was an accident."
"It is useless to report it to the captain," said the professor, with a palpable sneer.
"Thank you, sir; you will forgive me, sir?" moaned the culprit.
"I am willing to forgive you if it was an accident," replied thesavant, more graciously.
"It was an accident, sir."
"It is very singular that so many accidents happen to me," said the professor, knitting his brow, and looking very savage, when he recalled the events of the preceding evening. "This is the third time within half a day that an accident has occurred to me."
Mr. Hamblin walked off, and descended to the cabin to change his clothes again. The suit in which he had fallen overboard had been dried at the cook's galley, and was in condition for use. While changing his garments, he recited to Mr. Stoute the new misfortune that had overtaken him.
Pelham sharply questioned the hands who had been concerned in the outrage; but McDougal, who appeared to be the only one implicated in the deed, protested that the circumstances were just as he had stated them; nothing could be proved, for the boys all agreed in their statements. The case was therefore dismissed, to be called up again by the captain, if he thought proper to do so. McDougal walked forward to pick up the hose-pipe again, and as he met the brakemanwho had exhibited some intelligence before, he gave him a very sly wink.
The officer of the watch was more than suspicious. He was an old hand at mischief himself, and not easily hoodwinked by "our fellows." He could not help thinking that McDougal had overdone his part, for a bold young man, like him, would not behave so much like a coward under any circumstances. Just before breakfast time the captain and first lieutenant came on deck together, and Pelham reported "number three" to them.
"It was not an accident," exclaimed Paul, indignantly.
"I don't think it was myself," replied Pelham. "But at the same time, what can you do? You can't prove that it was done on purpose."
"I had a hint from Duncan that the fellows intended to haze Mr. Hamblin, and if this thing isn't stopped in the beginning, there is no knowing where it will end," continued Paul, decidedly. "You will pipe to muster the first thing after breakfast, Mr. Terrill."
The young commander was entirely satisfied in his own mind that the unpleasant incident of the morning was a part of the hazing programme, if the two on the preceding evening were not. He had already decided to take prompt action, and put a stop to the disgraceful proceedings.
After breakfast, agreeably to the order, all hands were piped to muster. The two professors had come on deck to ascertain the cause of this movement. They had had a long talk together about the seconddrenching of the senior, and Mr. Stoute was obliged to conclude that the deed had been wilfully done. He acknowledged as much as this, and felt, as the captain did, that prompt action was necessary; but to his surprise, Mr. Hamblin took opposite ground towards the latter part of the interview, and declared that McDougal, on his knees, had begged his pardon. The learned gentleman appeared to be determined to keep his opinion at variance with that of his associate.
Mr. Hamblin was one of those old fogies who could not appreciate manliness in a boy. He demanded abject servility and pusillanimous crouching on the part of an offender. When he frowned, the boy ought to wither with fear rather than with the consciousness of guilt. McDougal had thrown himself into a becoming attitude, in his estimation; had groaned, trembled, and cringed. He was willing to forgive McDougal, and had intimated as much as this to him before he left the deck.
The young commander took his place on the hatch, and made quite a telling speech in regard to what he termed the disgraceful proceeding which had occurred on board. He solemnly warned the boys that he would not tolerate anything irregular and disorderly.
"Mr. Terrill, you will pipe away the second cutters," he continued, turning to the first lieutenant.
The crew of the boat were piped away, the cutter lowered, and they took their places in her. The second lieutenant was detailed to take charge of her, and waited near the captain for his orders.
"Pass the word for McDougal," added the captain, when the second cutter was ready, as he stepped downfrom the hatch, and stood at the foot of the mainmast.
The culprit came forward, and touched his cap to the captain.
"For your conduct this morning to Mr. Hamblin I shall send you on board of the ship," said Paul, in firm and decided tones.
"I couldn't help it, Captain Kendall," pleaded McDougal; but he exhibited none of the servility which had characterized his demeanor to the professor; he knew the captain too well to resort to such an expedient.
"Perhapsyou could not," replied Paul, pointedly. "Perhapsyou could not; but you were very careless."
"I didn't mean to do it," added McDougal.
"I do not say that you did. If the professor cannot walk the deck without being drenched with water, it is time those who are so careless should be sent out of the Josephine."
"Mr. Hamblin was behind the mast, and I thought he had gone below, sir."
"I have no time nor inclination to argue the matter. If you think any injustice has been done to you, the principal will hear your complaint, and I shall be as willing as you are to abide by his decision. Mr. Martyn, you will report the case as it is to Mr. Lowington. McDougal, consider yourself under arrest, and take your place in the boat."
The culprit wanted to say something more, but Paul ordered him into the boat with an emphasis which he did not deem it prudent to disregard.
"Captain Kendall," said Professor Hamblin, stepping up to the young commander, "I request that you will detain that boat for a moment or two."
"Certainly, sir, if you desire it," replied Paul, giving the necessary order.
"May I ask for a few moments' private conversation with you?" added the professor, as he led the way aft.
The learned gentleman seemed to be considerably excited, and conducted the captain to the taffrail.
"I protest against your action in this matter," said he, warmly, when they were out of hearing of others.
"Indeed, sir! I supposed you would protest if I did not take decided action."
"I am sorry to feel obliged to say, that you do not use good judgment in this case," continued Mr. Hamblin, solemnly. "When that rope was thrown upon me, you took no notice of it. I do not hear that the crew of the first cutter have been called to account for their carelessness in throwing me into the water last night; but, in this instance, where the guilty party has begged my pardon on his bended knees, and shown a degree of sorrow which it would be inhuman to disregard, you resort to the severest punishment known on board."
"You will excuse me, Mr. Hamblin, but I think my action is fully justified by the circumstances."
"I think not. You are extremely severe in this case, while the more flagrant act of throwing me into the river, whether it was a wilful or a careless one, was passed over in silence."
"It was not passed over in silence. I examinedthe officer of the boat, and I found that the accident was caused by the breaking of a boat-hook in the hands of one of the bowmen. If you will pardon me for being entirely candid with you, Mr. Hamblin, the mishap was caused by your own carelessness, rather than by that of the boat's crew."
"Do you mean to insult me?" demand the professor, angrily.
"Most assuredly not, sir. If you had kept your seat in the stern-sheets of the boat, as a passenger should, until the cutter was properly secured, you could not possibly have fallen overboard when the boat-hook broke," answered Paul, gently and firmly.
"I do not ask your judgment upon my actions, Mr. Kendall," growled the professor.
"Excuse me, sir; but I alluded to your movement only in defence of the boat's crew. If the bowmen had actually intended to throw you into the water, they could not have done it if you had kept your seat."
"It is not proper for you to criticise my action."
Paul bowed, and made no reply.
"I protest against your action in punishing McDougal. He apologized to my satisfaction; and, as this is an affair personal with me, I am surprised at your taking any step without consulting me."
"It is a case which affects the discipline of the vessel; and, as such, it was proper that I should dispose of it."
"It was a personal matter, I say," repeated the professor, growing more wrathy when he found his mighty will opposed.
"I have such information, sir, as leads me to believe that the act of this morning was intentional."
"That's a want of judgment on your part, and I protest against your action. I object to your sending McDougal to the ship, and I demand that your order be rescinded."
"I shall send him to the ship, sir!" replied Paul, decidedly, his cheek coloring.
"Shall you! Do you mean to insult me?"
"No, sir; I repeat that I do not mean to insult you."
"I say that boy ought not to be sent to the ship. Why, such a lack of judgment—"
"Mr. Hamblin, I command this vessel!" exclaimed Paul, with native dignity.
"Do you, indeed?"
"I am responsible for all I do to Mr. Lowington. You will oblige me by not interfering with the discipline of the crew."
"How dare you use such language to me?" snapped the professor, dancing about the deck with rage.
"Mr. Terrill, direct Mr. Martyn to pull to the ship, and execute my order as I gave it."
"This is infamous!" stormed Mr. Hamblin. "Am I to be snubbed by a boy, by one of my own pupils?"
"I have nothing more to say, Mr. Hamblin," continued Paul, bowing and moving away.
"Stop, you puppy!" roared Mr. Hamblin, following him, and speaking loud enough for all the officers to hear his offensive remark.
"Come, come, Mr. Hamblin, you are disgracing yourself," interposed Mr. Stoute.
"The puppy!" gasped Mr. Hamblin. "He insulted me!"
"Don't lower yourself in the eyes of your pupils by such undignified conduct."
"Am I to be insulted by a boy?" replied Mr. Hamblin, breaking away from his associate.
"Mr. Terrill, send Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage aft," said Captain Kendall, hardly able to speak, so violent were his emotions.
"Mr. Kendall—"
"Captain Kendall, if you please," interposed Paul, as the professor, boiling over with rage, rushed up to him.
"MisterKendall, I will—"
"One word, Mr. Hamblin, before you proceed any farther," continued Paul, struggling to be calm.
"Here, sir," reported the adult carpenter and boatswain.
"Stand by; I may want you," replied Captain Kendall. "Mr. Hamblin," he proceeded, turning to the furious professor, "if you venture to call me a puppy again, or to use any other offensive epithet, I will order the carpenter and boatswain to arrest you. I will send you in irons on board the ship. I beg to remind you again that I am the captain of this vessel."
Mr. Hamblin glanced at him, and then at the stalwart forward officers, who, he knew, would obey the captain if the Josephine went down with them in the act. If he did not feel that he had done wrong, he felt that he could do nothing more. Professor Stoute again interposed his good offices, and Mr. Hamblin defeated—by himself rather than the captain—bolted from the group, and rushed down into the cabin.
The entire ship's company had crowded aft to witness this exciting scene.
"Three cheers for Captain Kendall!" shouted a daring fellow. "One!"
They were given, in spite of Paul's cry for "silence," and then the crew scattered. The young commander looked very pale, and went below attended by Terrill, who had noticed his ghastly expression. He retired to his state-room, and but for his friend's efforts would have fainted away, so terribly had he suffered during the painful scene.
"You have made a very great mistake, Mr. Hamblin," said Professor Stoute, when they reached their state-room.
"Do you take part with the students, Mr. Stoute?" snapped the angrysavant.
The good-natured instructor concluded that it would be useless for him to say anything while his associate continued in such an unhappy frame of mind; and he condemned himself to silence for the present. It was plain enough to him that the crew of the Josephine were in a state of mutiny, so far as Mr. Hamblin was concerned, and, that the academic discipline of the vessel was at an end. If he understood the humor of the boys, they would refuse to obey the professor of Greek. There must be a settlement of this serious difficulty before anything more could be done.
Mr. Hamblin was silent also for a time. It would have been curious to know what he thought of himself at that particular moment, though doubtless he fully justified his conduct and regarded himself as an injured man. A gentleman so profoundly skilled in Greek as he was, with an invitation in his pocket to visit the king's chief minister, ought not to be expected to submit to the snubbing of a mere boy. The two professors sat in the state-room till the silence became painful, and till the anger of Mr. Hamblin had in a measure subsided.
"I did not expect to see you take part with the boys, Mr. Stoute," said the learned gentleman, in a grieved tone.
"If I take any part at all, I hope it will be on the right side," replied Mr. Stoute.
"Which means, I suppose, that I am on the wrong side," replied Mr. Hamblin, with a heavy sigh.
"It means exactly that," added the other, candidly.
"You think, then, that the boys have done precisely right—do you?"
"Without saying that, I am compelled to believe you were in the wrong."
"That boy threatened to arrest me," continued Mr. Hamblin, with something like a shudder; "and all the crew gave three cheers for Captain Kendall!"
"I could hardly resist the temptation to join with them in giving the cheers," replied Mr. Stoute, consolingly. "The conduct of Captain Kendall filled me with admiration."
"Mr. Stoute, do you consider that a proper remark to make to me?"
"You will not understand anything but the plainest speech, and I intend to be perfectly candid with you. You interfered with the discipline of the vessel, and because the captain respectfully declined to recall the boat, you threw yourself into a passion, and behaved in a most ungentlemanly and undignified manner. Positively, sir, I am ashamed of you! You called the captain a puppy, sir!"
"He's only a boy," answered Mr. Hamblin, in whom this plain talk seemed to create a doubt in regard to his conduct.
"Any boy has the right to be treated like a gentleman when he behaves like one, even if his opinion does not agree with our own; and especially is this true of the captain."
"He was utterly lacking in judgment. The conduct of McDougal was a personal matter, and Mr. Kendall should have consulted me."
"Allowing that the captain was wrong,—though I do not think that he was wrong,—it does not improve the aspect of your conduct."
"You think Mr. Lowington will not sustain me—do you?"
"Certainly not."
"I could hardly expect it, since he has a much higher regard for that boy than for me," sighed Mr. Hamblin.
"It is eight o'clock, and time for the recitations to commence," said Mr. Stoute, consulting his watch. "You must decide at once what you intend to do."
"What shall I do?" asked Mr. Hamblin, who had become fully conscious that he had involved himself in another "unpleasantness," and that the powers that be, unmindful of his claims, would probably decide against him.
"Shall we hear the recitations? Are you willing to go into the steerage, and proceed with your classes?"
"I am."
Mr. Stoute had his doubts whether it would be prudent for him to do so; but he was satisfied that Captain Kendall could control the crew, even if they attempted a demonstration against the unpopular instructor.
"If I had made so great a blunder as you have, Mr. Hamblin," added Professor Stoute, "I should go to the captain, and apologize to him."
"Apologize to him!" exclaimed thesavant.
"Yes, sir."
"To that boy, who insulted me, who threatened to arrest me, and send me in irons to the ship, who had the impudence to tell me thathewas the captain of this vessel! No, sir!"
"Very well, sir; suit yourself; I am going to the steerage to attend to my classes."
Without waiting for his associate's final decision as to what he intended to do, Mr. Stoute left the state-room. By this time Paul had recovered from the faintness which had oppressed him, and had ordered the first lieutenant to "pipe to recitations."
"Are we to go on with the studies as usual, Captain Kendall?" asked Mr. Stoute, who could not help taking the hand of the young commander and warmly pressing it, though without any allusion in words to Professor Hamblin.
"Certainly, sir; the students will not be allowed to neglect any regular duty," replied Paul.
"After the cheers which were given on deck, there is danger of a disturbance."
"No, sir; I think not. If any officer or seaman makes a disturbance, he shall be put under arrest instantly."
"But suppose they all do it in concert."
"They will not, sir;" but Paul spoke in hope rather than in faith, and dreaded the demonstration suggested by the professor.
Mr. Stoute went into the steerage. The students were all there, including the crew of the cutter which had conveyed McDougal to the ship. They were more quiet and orderly than usual; but the calm often precedes the storm. Captain Kendall passed into the steerage, and his appearance was the signal for a general clapping of the hands, in which all the officers joined. That he had won the day in his dispute with the obnoxious professor; that he had threatened to arrest Mr. Hamblin, and send him in irons to the ship; that he had actually called the willing carpenter and boatswain to execute the anticipated order,—were more than enough to make the captain a hero with the ship's company. Boys worship pluck, and are not always particular that it should be displayed in a good cause.
"Silence, if you please," said Paul, moved by the applause of the students.
Silence came instantly, for the captain was a "little god" just then, and had more influence over the ship's company at that moment than ever before. It is true they regretted the fate of poor McDougal, but there was not one of them who did not believe that the captain was right in his estimate of the culprit's guilt.
"I wish to ask a favor of you," continued Paul, in a rather embarrassed tone.
A clapping of hands assured him that he could ask no favor that would not be unanimously granted.
"Whatever happens, I wish you to make no disturbance, and no demonstrations of approval or dissent. Will you heed my request?"
"We will!" shouted the students with one voice.
"Thank you," replied Paul, who did not believe in a display of force before it was necessary.
The boys commenced work upon their lessons, and the captain, passing through the steerage, went on deck to avoid the necessity of meeting Mr. Hamblin, whose step he heard in the passage-way leading from the cabin. As Paul disappeared, the obnoxioussavantentered the steerage. One of the students forward hissed, but his companions silenced him instantly; and it is probable, if the captain had not spoken to them, Mr. Hamblin would have been greeted with a general demonstration of disapprobation.
The learned gentleman was evidently much embarrassed; but he was very quiet and subdued in his manner. He was less impatient and snappish than usual; said nothing about "stupidity" and "blundering," as was his habit. He seemed to be abstracted, as well he might; but while he displayed less enthusiasm in his teaching, he was infinitely more gentlemanly and kind. As he gave no occasion for any trouble, none came. Though the captain did not appear at any recitation conducted by him, the professor made no comment upon the circumstance.
Paul was troubled, but he had made up his mind what to do. Either Mr. Hamblin must leave the Josephine, or he would respectfully ask to be relieved from the command of her. It was simply impossible to live with such a porcupine on board. It was a mystery to him that Mr. Lowington had procured the servicesof such an unsuitable instructor; but the fact was, that he had been engaged by the principal's agent on the strength of his classical attainments, rather than his fitness for the place. He had been so unpopular as a tutor and professor that no institution could long enjoy his services, valuable as they were in an intellectual point of view.
At twelve o'clock orders came from Mr. Lowington to dismiss school, and to dress the Josephine for visitors. All hands were called, and in a short time the vessel wore her gayest attire. A line of flags was extended from the end of the jib-boom over the topmast-heads to the end of the main boom. The flag of Belgium, which consists of black, yellow, and red in equal parts, perpendicularly divided, floated at the foremast head. The Young America was similarly decorated, and the Victoria and Albert hoisted the royal standard of the United Kingdom, which is a magnificent affair, consisting of four squares, two, in opposite corners, being red, one blue and one yellow, with a harp and the lions and unicorns worked upon the squares.
At half past twelve, the professors' barge, with the American flag in the stern, and the Belgian in the bow, put off from the ship and pulled to the Quai Vandyck. The eminent individual who was to be received by the squadron was no less a personage than the governor of the Province of Antwerp, an office once filled by the distinguished Charles Rogier, the present minister of foreign affairs.
As the boat containing his excellency put off from the Quay, the yards of both vessels were manned. All the students were dressed in their best uniform, andthe display was really quite imposing. The governor went on board of the ship, was duly cheered by the students, and he visited every part of the vessel. After he had partaken of a collation in the main cabin, he left the ship, accompanied by Mr. Lowington, and visited the Josephine. Everything appeared to the best advantage, and his excellency expressed himself as highly delighted with the naval institution.
All the officers and professors were presented to the distinguished guest, who took a great deal of notice of Paul, and hardly any of Mr. Hamblin—a muddling of distinctions which sore puzzled and annoyed thesavant. Not even Mr. Lowington could have suspected that the Josephines were in a state of feverish excitement, and had been almost in a state of mutiny, so fair and pleasant was the outside aspect of the ship's company. The governor, having completed his inspection of the vessel, invited all the officers to dine with him, and was then landed with as much ceremony as he had been received.
Mr. Lowington accompanied the governor to the quay, and on his return he went on board of the Josephine to announce his programme for a visit to several of the cities of Belgium. All hands were called, and were informed that the next three days would be devoted to sight-seeing, and that the students would take the train for Ghent at half past two. The ship's company heard the intelligence with a coolness which did not escape the notice of the principal; but he soon received an explanation of this apparent indifference.
"I am very sorry, Mr. Lowington," said ProfessorHamblin, stepping up to him, as he descended from the hatch, "to be again compelled to complain to you of the misconduct of Mr. Kendall. This morning he threatened to arrest me and send me in irons on board of the ship—me, sir! He actually sent for the boatswain and carpenter for this purpose."
"Captain Kendall!" exclaimed the principal, annoyed beyond measure at this recital of grievance. "There must have been some strong provocation."
"Could anything justify such a threat, or such a course?"
"We will not speak of this subject here," added the principal, when he saw that the eyes of every student on board were fixed upon them.
"Something should be done immediately," replied Mr. Hamblin, decidedly.
"I have not time to hear the case now. We take the train for Ghent in less than an hour. I will see you in the railway carriage."
Mr. Lowington moved towards the gangway, where the barge was waiting for him; but Paul, his cheeks all aglow, stepped up to him, and touched his cap.
"Mr. Lowington," said he, "I wish to make a complaint against Mr. Hamblin. He interferes with the discipline of the vessel, is very insulting to me; and I must ask that he be removed from the Josephine, or that I may be permitted to resign."
"I am very sorry you are having any trouble here; but I cannot stay now to hear about it. I will see you on the train."
"Excuse me, one moment, Mr. Lowington," added thesavantof the Josephine, as the principal wasgoing over the side. "I wish to inquire if we make any stay in Brussels?"
"We shall probably remain there one day."
"I have an invitation to visit Monsieur Rogier, the chief minister of the King of Belgium, and should like to accept it," added Mr. Hamblin, who thought it would be well for the principal to know this fact before he thought much of the difficulty between himself and the captain.
"You will have ample time," answered Mr. Lowington, as he stepped over the side into the boat.
At two o'clock all hands embarked in a ferry-boat, which conveyed them to the Tête de Flandre, opposite Antwerp, where the Ghent railway station is located. By the good offices of the governor of Antwerp, a special train had been procured for their accommodation, and the carriages were to be at the disposal of the principal for the entire round of the Belgian cities. By this arrangement, the tourists were enabled to make the tour in the brief space allotted to it. They were to spend a day in the capital, but only one or two hours in each of the other places.
In Belgium about two thirds of all the railways are owned or leased by the government, which runs the roads, and even those which are in the hands of corporations will eventually revert to the state. They are exceedingly well managed, and very few accidents occur upon them; but they run at a low rate of speed, compared with the English railways. The fares are about three cents a mile, which is below the average in Europe.
Mr. Lowington selected a compartment in one ofthe carriages, and arranged his party so as to transact the disagreeable business on hand during the trip. Dr. Winstock and Paul sat at one end of the section, and Mr. Stoute and Terrill at the other, while Mr. Lowington and Professor Hamblin occupied the middle seats. The two students were allowed to occupy the places at the windows, so that they could see the country which they passed through; for the principal deemed this as important for them as their lessons; in fact, it was a study of geography. The train moved off, bearing the company through a low country, not very attractive in itself, though the little farms, gardens, villages and towns were full of interest to young men like Paul.
"Now, Mr. Hamblin, I am ready to hear your complaints," said Mr. Lowington, after the train had passed out of the station. "Captain Kendall, you may give your attention to it, though you can look out of the window at the same time."
"Am I to be confronted with that boy?" demanded the professor, indignantly.
"That boy!" replied Mr. Lowington. "I am to hear what you and Captain Kendall have to say. Go on, if you please, sir."
"You will remember that one of the students, McDougal, was sent on board of the ship, this morning," Mr. Hamblin began, though he was utterly disgusted because he was obliged to make his complaint in the presence of Paul.
"I remember it."
"The offence which that boy committed was against me personally. As he explained the case to me, andmade a very humble apology, I was willing to forgive him. I intimated to the officer of the deck that he need not report the matter to the captain; but it was reported to the captain, and when I went on deck, after breakfast, I found the students had been assembled. Mr. Kendall addressed them, with which I had no fault to find. But you can judge of my astonishment when he called up McDougal, and ordered a boat to convey him on board of the ship, thus subjecting him to the severest punishment known to the students of the Josephine.
"I deemed it my duty to interfere, which I did in the most civil manner. I respectfully protested against the action of the captain. I say I deemed it my duty to interfere."
Mr. Hamblin paused, and looked at the principal. He wished him to say that he also deemed it his duty to interfere; but Mr. Lowington did not say that, or anything else, and waited till the professor was ready to proceed.
"I remonstrated with Mr, Kendall, and he saw fit to disregard my protest. I demanded that his order should be rescinded; but he was haughty and impudent in his manner. He told me that the boy should be sent to the ship. He appeared to be utterly wanting in judgment, though, up to this time, I had remonstrated only in the mildest terms. He informed me, in the most offensive manner, that he was the captain of the vessel."
At this point Mr. Lowington bit his lips, to repress a smile which was involuntarily manifesting itself on his face.
"Finally, sir, he sent for the boatswain and carpenter, and threatened to have me conveyed to the ship in irons. It was not enough to say he would send me to the ship, but he would send me in irons! Did ever a boy speak to a man like that before? In college, academy, and school, I have always been master; but here I find myself subject to the will of a stripling of sixteen or seventeen!"
Mr. Hamblin finished his narrative, set his teeth tight together, and threw himself back in his seat to await the decision of the principal.
"Captain Kendall, I will hear your version of this affair," said Mr. Lowington, mildly.
The professor made a movement as if to spring to his feet. The proceedings seemed to be very irregular. He wanted the decision made upon his statement; and it appeared like an insult to him to ask a student for his version of the affair after the instructor had spoken.
"When I was informed that McDougal had directed the hose-pipe at Mr. Hamblin," said Paul, "I decided to make an example of him; for I had a hint that the students intended to annoy the senior professor, and this was the third time something had happened to him. I was satisfied that the act was done on purpose, though I could not prove it."
"It was not done on purpose," interposed Mr. Hamblin, wrathfully. "McDougal, on his knees—"
"You will be kind enough not to interrupt Captain Kendall," said Mr. Lowington, mildly, but firmly.
"I decided to send him on board of the ship, and directed the second lieutenant to report the circumstances to you. Before the boat had shoved off, Mr. Hamblin called me aside, and objected to my action. He said the affair was personal with him, and he was surprised that I had interfered with it. I replied that the matter affected the discipline of the crew, and that I should send McDougal on board of the ship. He was angry then, spoke of my lack of judgment, and said the boy should not be sent to the ship. I told him then, as decidedly as I knew how, that I commanded the vessel."
"Yes, sir; thathecommanded the vessel!" said Mr. Hamblin, with much excitement.
"Go on, Captain Kendall," added Mr. Lowington.
"He used some strong language then, and I told him I had nothing more to say. As I was walking away, he told me to stop, and called me a puppy. He repeated the expression, and then I sent for Mr. Cleats and Mr. Gage. They came, and I informed Mr. Hamblin that if he applied another offensive epithet to me, I would send him on board the ship in irons."
"Yes, sir! sendmeto the ship in irons! Could you have conceived of such an indignity?" exclaimed the professor. "Am I a common sailor? Am I a servant? Am I a student? or am I the senior professor of the consort?"
"Did you speak to Captain Kendall of his lack of judgment, Mr. Hamblin?" asked the principal.
"I did, most assuredly; and I am free to say that a child would have exhibited more judgment than he did," replied the professor, warmly.
"Did you say that McDougal should not be sent on board of the ship?"
"I did; it was an outrage upon the boy after he had begged my pardon with his knees on the wet deck; and it was an outrage upon me, who had forgiven his offence."
"Did you call Captain Kendall a puppy on the quarter-deck of the Josephine?"
"I don't know whether it was on the quarter-deck or the half-deck."
"Oblige me by answering my question."
"Perhaps I did," replied Mr. Hamblin, looking upon the floor of the carriage; for this, he was conscious, was his weak point.
"I must ask you either to affirm or deny that portion of Captain Kendall's complaint."
"If I did, it was because I had been snubbed and insulted by a pupil."
"You do not answer me, sir."
"I did; and I am willing to acknowledge it was highly improper; but I was—"
"It is not necessary to explain it," interposed Mr, Lowington. "I desire now only to obtain the facts. You applied this epithet twice to Captain Kendall—did you?"
"Possibly I did. I was much excited."
"Affirm or deny it, if you please."
"I will grant that I did, though I do not now distinctly remember. It was wrong for me to use such language under any circumstances, but I have not been in the habit of being snubbed by my pupils."
"Is there any other material fact you wish to add, Mr. Hamblin?" asked the principal.
"Nothing more is needed, I think," replied the professor, who really believed that he had overwhelmed Paul, in spite of the conscious disadvantage he labored under in having used intemperate language himself. "It is plain enough that Mr. Kendall and I cannot get along together in the same vessel."
"That is plain enough," added Mr. Lowington. "I had requested Professor Stoute and Mr. Terrill to take seats in this carriage in order to afford any information we might need; but I find the facts in the case are not disputed. On the material points, there is no difference of statement between Mr. Hamblin and Captain Kendall. I shall reserve my decision till we return to the vessels."
"It will be impossible for me to do my duty to the students on board of the Josephine while Mr. Kendall is in command of her," said the professor, who wanted the decision at once, so confident was he that the principal could not sustain the young commander this time.
"I shall arrange it so that you and Captain Kendall will no longer sail in the same vessels."
That was very indefinite, but something was to be done; and this was all the comfort the professor received. Paul was much agitated, and Dr. Winstock talked to him for half an hour before he could fix his attention upon the novelties of the country hurried in panorama before him.
"Gand!" shouted the guard, as he walked along the step before the doors of the compartments, just as the train entered the station.
"I suppose that means Ghent," said Paul.
"Yes; Gand is the French name of the place," replied Dr. Winstock. "There are many cities in Europe which you would not recognize by their foreign appellations."
As the train stopped the whistle of the Young America's boatswain called the students together, and Mr. Lowington told them they could stay only two hours in the place.
"Ghent is situated at the junction of the River Lys with the Scheldt," said Professor Mapps, who, to the astonishment of the boys, seemed to be plumed for a lecture. "The numerous branches of these rivers, either natural or artificial, form canals which extend in all directions through the city. The town may be said to be composed of twenty-six islands, which are connected together by no less than eighty bridges. The grand canal extends from the lower Scheldt to the town, by means of which ships drawing eighteen feet can come up to the basin. All these canals arenavigable for boats or vessels. It is surrounded by a wall seven or eight miles in extent, for its defence. On the grand canal, half way between the city and the West Scheldt, there are sluices, by which the whole country could be laid under water in case of invasion by an enemy.
"Ghent has been called the Manchester of Belgium, on account of its being so largely engaged in cotton manufactures. Its factories are operated by steam power. The population in 1863 was one hundred and twenty-two thousand. The cultivation of flowers is largely carried on here, there being about four hundred hot-houses in the immediate vicinity of the city.
"Ghent is a very old city, and occupies a prominent place in history. In the days of Charles the Bold it was the capital of Flanders. Charles V., Emperor of Germany, was born here. It was formerly a city of vast importance, and at one time its wealth and power had increased to such an extent, that it was regarded as the rival of Paris. 'Je mettrais Paris dans mon Gand,' Charles V. used to say, as he proudly contemplated this great city. What does it mean?"
"I could put Paris into my glove," replied one of the French scholars near the professor. "Butgantis the French word forglove."
"Near enough for a pun, and much nearer than modern punsters often get it," continued Mr. Mapps. "Ghent, in former days, had the reputation of being a turbulent city, and its people were bold and warlike. They have always been forward in asserting and defending their liberties; and you will find that the burghers of Ghent figure largely in Mr. Motley'sHistories. I will not detain you longer now, but, as we pass through the city, I shall have something more to say about its historic character."
A sufficient number of vehicles had been gathered during the professor's lecture to enable the students to make the most of their limited time in Ghent. They went first to theBeffroi, or Belfry-tower. It is a kind of watch-tower, two hundred and eighty feet high, built in the twelfth century. The structure is square, and is surmounted by a gilt dragon. It contains a chime of bells, and a huge bell weighing five tons. The records of the city were formerly kept in the lower part of the building, which is now degraded into a prison. The entrance to the tower is through a shop, and the view from the top is very fine.
The Cathedral of St. Bavon, the Church of St. Michael, and the Hôtel de Ville, or Town Hall, were pointed out, and the carriages stopped in the Marché au Vendredi, a large square, or market-place, which takes its name from the day on which the sale is held. The phrase means Friday Market. Mr. Mapps explained the use of the square, and pointed out the ancient buildings with Flemish gables, which look like a flight of stairs on each slope, which surrounds it.
"This was the grand meeting-place of the citizens of Ghent," he continued; "the counts of Flanders were inaugurated here with great ceremony and splendor. Here the trades-unions, or societies of weavers, used to meet. Here the standard of rebellion was planted, and the people rallied around it to overthrow their oppressors. Here Jacques van Artevelde, the Brewer of Ghent, encountered a hostileassociation, and fought one of the most furious combats known in history. He was called the Brewer of Ghent, because, though of noble family, he joined the society of brewers to flatter the vanity of the lower classes. His partisans were chiefly weavers, and his opponents the fullers. In the midst of the strife the host—the consecrated bread and wine of the Catholic mass—was brought into the square, in order to separate the furious artisans; but it was disregarded, and the bodies of fifteen hundred citizens were left on this spot.
"Van Artevelde, whose statue you see before you," added the professor, pointing to the object, "was a person of great influence. He was the ally of Edward III. of England, and had raised himself to the position ofRuwaert, or Protector of Flanders, by banishing its hereditary counts. By his advice, the King of England had added thefleur de lis, or lilies of France, to the British arms, claiming to be King of France. He courted the aid of the Flemish people, who were very powerful,—for it was said that Ghent alone could furnish eighty thousand fighting men,—in order to establish his claim to rule France.
"Edward obtained the assistance of the Flemings; but he did not conquer France, though he gained some splendid victories, in which the famous Black Prince figured. Van Artevelde began to dread the vengeance of the hereditary counts of Flanders, whose power he had usurped, and in 1344 he invited Edward to meet him at Sluis. Here the Brewer proposed to make Edward's son—the Black Prince—sovereign of Flanders, in order to secure the protection ofEngland. He relied upon his influence with the citizens to induce them to submit to this arrangement; but the stout burghers rejected the proposal with contempt and indignation.
"During Van Arteveldt's absence, a popular insurrection was fomented against him; and, on his return, as he rode through the streets, he was made conscious of the storm that was brewing against the Brewer. He went to his house, and barricaded the doors; but the street was soon filled by the mob. He addressed them from a window; but they would not hear him, and he attempted to escape by a back door into an adjoining church. Failing to accomplish this purpose, the infuriated people broke in upon him, and he was killed.
"In this square, also, were kindled the fires of the Inquisition by the Duke of Alva, at the command of Philip II., and thousands perished in the barbarous persecution.
"The rebellious spirit of the people of Ghent was very trying to Charles V. He demanded of them an enormous sum of money, to enable him to carry on a war against France. The burghers put the town in a state of defence, and privately offered their allegiance to Francis I. of France. He declined the offer, and maliciously informed Charles of it, who marched an army through France to punish the treason of his subjects in Ghent. Commanding this army in person, he reached the gates of the city, and surrounded its walls, before the people were aware of his presence.
"The utmost consternation prevailed in the town, and messengers were sent to the emperor to sue forforgiveness. Without granting any terms to the rebels, he imperiously demanded that the gates should be opened. His command was obeyed, and the Spanish army marched into the town. The Duke of Alva suggested that the entire city should be destroyed; but Charles satisfied himself with beheading fourteen of the ringleaders of the rebellion, and confiscating their property. The principal officers of the city were ordered to appear before the emperor barefoot and bare-headed, clothed in black gowns, and with halters around their necks. They were compelled to sue for pardon on their knees. As an additional penalty, the magistrates were forbidden to appear in public without a halter on their necks, as a badge of their ignominy. The rope was worn; but, in the lapse of time, it became a silken cord, tied in a true-lover's knot, and was regarded as an ornament which the magistrate could not dispense with.
"In 1570, when the people attempted to shake off the Spanish rule, the citadel or fortress at the Porte d'Anvers (which has been demolished) was besieged by the Prince of Orange. It was gallantly defended by the Spaniards for a long time; but, at last, three thousand of the burghers of Ghent, clothed in white shirts as a distinguishing mark, assaulted the citadel. Their scaling-ladders were not long enough, and the attack failed. On the following day, while preparations were in progress to renew the attack, the Spaniards capitulated. When suitable terms had been agreed upon, the garrison, only one hundred and fifty in number, marched out under the command of a woman. It appeared then that the governor of the fortress was absent, and that the Spaniards had been commanded, during the protracted siege, by his wife."
This was rather a long speech to be made in the public square; but the boys, interested in the professor's remarks, gathered closely around him; and it is not probable that many of the Ghenters who had been attracted to the square by the unwonted scene understood a word that was said. The carriages next proceeded to the Béguinage, a kind of convent or nunnery. The establishment is a little town by itself, with streets, squares, and gates, and is surrounded by a wall and moat. In the centre there is a church. The houses are occupied by the Béguines, a sisterhood of nuns in Belgium which has six thousand members. They are bound by no vows, as ordinary nuns are, and may therefore return to the world at pleasure, marry, and come back in their widowhood. They act as Sisters of Charity in the city, and some of them are wealthy; but all wear the garb of the order. There are about six hundred of them in this colony. On the door of each house is the name of the patron saint of the occupant.
The drive was continued through some of the principal streets of Ghent; and, within a few moments of the appointed time, the students were again seated in the railway carriages. The road to Bruges extends along the side of the canal from Ostend to Ghent, which has high banks, lined nearly all the way with tall trees. The view from the windows of the train was interesting rather than picturesque. In an hour the train stopped at its destination; but it was after six o'clock, and there was no time for Professor Mappsto make any long speeches, though Bruges had a history hardly less exciting than that of Ghent. It takes its name from the great number ofbridgeswhich it contains; for the place, like Ghent, is cut up by canals.
Bruges was once a rich and powerful city, reputed to contain two hundred thousand inhabitants; but, like nearly all the Flemish cities, it has declined from its former grandeur, and now contains only fifty-one thousand, nearly a third of whom are paupers. In the fifteenth century, the Dukes of Burgundy held their court here; it had an immense foreign commerce, and its warehouses were filled with the silks and woollens manufactured in the vicinity. All this has passed away, the town has the aspect of a ruined place, and its lofty and elegant public buildings—the remains of former prosperity—seem to mock its present desolation.
Fine houses may be hired in Bruges at a rent of from sixty to a hundred dollars a year. It is said that a house has not been built in the city for a century, for the reason that its diminishing inhabitants were more than supplied by those which had once accommodated four times its present population. The place is dead and dull. The streets are nearly empty. A man-servant finds himself upon a hundred dollars a year, and a French teacher charges twenty cents an hour for his services.
The Church of Notre Dame contains the tombs of Charles the Bold and of his daughter Mary. La Chapelle du Saint Sang takes its name from several drops of the blood of the Savior, which are said to have been brought from the Holy Land. They werepresented to the town, and are kept in a richly jewelled shrine, which is exhibited to visitors at half a franc a head. The famous order of the Knights of the Golden Fleece, so often mentioned by Motley, whose emblems are seen in many of the churches of Belgium, was established at Bruges, by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. The weavers of Flanders had carried the manufacture of wool to a degree of perfection which added greatly to the prosperity of the country, and the Golden Fleece was a fitting symbol of the industry of the people, as well as a compliment to their skill.
The great point of interest in Bruges to the students of the squadron was "The Belfry of Bruges," which Longfellow has celebrated in his poem of that name, and in the "Carillon." It is a beautiful Gothic tower, on an antique building known asLes Halles, or The Market, a part of which was intended for a meat market, and a part for a cloth hall. The spire, or belfry, is two hundred and ninety feet high. It contains the finest set of chimes in Europe. They play four times an hour, and their music is almost incessant. The machinery by which they are operated consists of an immense metallic cylinder, or drum, covered all over with cogs and pins, like that in a music-box. As this drum turns by the action of a huge weight, the pins strike against the levers that communicate with the bells. For half an hour on Sunday they are played by hand, as at Antwerp.
The praise bestowed upon the chimes seemed to the students to be well merited. There is nothing more touching and beautiful than the music of these bells.The boys could not help taking in the inspiration they imparted; and when it transpired that Mr. Modelle, the professor of elocution, had a copy of Longfellow in his pocket, they almost unanimously insisted that the poems relating to the scene should be read. They gathered around him, the circle closely flanked by the men, women, and children of the dull old town, who had apparently been roused from their lethargy by the advent of the young Americans. In his deep bass tones he read the Carillon first.
"In the ancient town of Bruges,In the quaint old Flemish city,As the evening shades descended,Low and loud, and sweetly blended,Low at times and loud at times,And changing like a poet's rhymes,Rang the beautiful wild chimesFrom the belfry in the marketOf the ancient town of Bruges."
The students listened with almost breathless interest till the last line of the "Belfry" was read; there was something so grand and beautiful in the poem itself, as the images of the past are brought up,—
"I beheld the pageants, splendid,That adorned those days of old:Stately dames like queens attended,Knights who bore the Fleece of Gold,"—
and something in the association of the living lines with the real belfry of Bruges before them, that the impression was one to be remembered for years.
After a hasty walk through a couple of the ancientstreets of the city, the students returned to the railroad station, and the train started for Brussels, a ride of about two hours from Bruges. It was half past nine when they arrived at the capital of Belgium. The party were greeted by Mr. Fluxion, who had been sent direct from Antwerp to make arrangements for their stay over night. Captain Kendall, his officers and crew, were sent to the Hôtel Royal in the Rue Fossé aux Loups. It was a small hotel, but very nice and comfortable. Mr. Molenschot, the proprietor, spoke English, but he appeared to be the only person in the house who could do so. He was very polite and attentive to the students, and spoke familiarly and pleasantly to them about "my hotel."
Mr. Fluxion himself had a faculty for keeping a hotel, and understood precisely what tired travellers wanted when they came in late in the evening; and he had ordered, in addition to thethé complet, thebif-stekandpomme de terre. The boys were as hungry as wolves, and the solid part of the entertainment was very inviting. Each dish of beefsteak was covered over with nicely browned fried potatoes. In a few moments there was hardly a vestige of the feast remaining on the table.
The Young America's ship's company were quartered at the Hôtel de l'Univers, and the Hôtel de Suède, so that the party was separated; and Paul was rather glad of it, because there were some belonging to the ship who were not influenced by the motives which prevailed in the Josephine. He could control his crew, even without the aid of Mr. Fluxion, who, with several of the professors also lodged at the Royal.
They were a jolly party at the supper table; and as none of the waiters spoke a word of English, there was a great deal of fun made in giving their orders; but everybody was remarkably good-natured, including the waiters themselves.
"Waiter," called Lynch, who, as a general rule, was not guilty of knowing much about any of his studies, "bring me thebur."
The servant took no notice of him.