Herbert had already caught the popular Western phrase for a man well to do.
“We must depend on the Blazing Star Mine for that,” said Melville, smiling. My young readers may like to know that, while Herbert was prospering financially, he did not neglect the cultivation of his mind. Among the books left by Mr. Falkland were a number of standard histories, some elementary books in French, including a dictionary, a treatise on natural philosophy, and a German grammar and reader.
“Do you know anything of French or German, Mr. Melville?” inquired our hero, when they made their first examination of the library.
“Yes, Herbert, I am a tolerable scholar in each.”
“I wish I were.”
“Would you like to study them?”
“Yes, very much.”
“Then I will make you a proposal. You are likely to have considerable time at your disposal. If you will study either, or both, I will be your teacher.”
“I should like nothing better,” said Herbert, eagerly.
“Moreover, if you wish to study philosophy, I will aid you, though we are not in a position to illustrate the subject by experiments.”