"The professor told me to-day that he had offered you a hundred dollars a month and all expenses, to procure specimens for the university museum," continued Mr. Chamberlain, addressing himself to Oscar, "and you may rest assured that you will get it. Mr. Potter has a hundred thousand dollars to spend in that way, and I see no reason why you should not earn a good portion of it. You have a number of years of steady employment before you, at more than living wages, if you are inclined to accept this offer."
The boys listened to these words with the greatest amazement, and it is hard to tell which of the two was the more delighted thereat.
Sam was overjoyed to learn that he had been mistaken in the opinions he had formed, and could hardly refrain from jumping up and tossing his cap into the air.
As for Oscar—he blessed his lucky stars that he had not accepted Mr. Smith's offer, as he had more than once been tempted to do that afternoon.
"Mr. Chamberlain," said Sam, as soon as he had controlled his excitement, so that he could talk intelligibly, "what is a—a—where's that list, Oscar?"
The latter produced a piece of paper, on which he had copied the hard words he had written on his pine board that morning—that is, all that Sam had not been able to translate for him—and handed it to his companion, who passed it over to the principal.
Mr. Chamberlain glanced at the first words on the list, and shook his head.
"Perhaps I haven't spelled them correctly," observed Oscar.
"They are the things the professor went down the river after on Saturday," chimed in Sam.
"Oh, the Fuligula Valisneria," exclaimed Mr. Chamberlain. "That is the canvas-back duck."