"Delenda est Carthago," replied the commander, laughing. "I believe that means that Carthage must be destroyed, or, in other words, a war of extermination; and I fear we must make that of Carthage in this instance, for the navigation is difficult. I went there when I was a boy during the war in the Crimea, and I can assure you that Tunis is a dirty hole, though it has some fine mosques, well-supplied bazaars, and the palace of the Bey is magnificent; but it hardly pays to go there. The professor is a fine classical scholar, and he would enjoy it more than any of the others. But if you wish to go there, I will take the ship to Tunis with the greatest pleasure imaginable."
"Don't go there on my account, Captain Ringgold," protested Professor Giroud.
"I will put it to vote, and the majority shall decide," replied the commander, and he proceeded to do so.
No one, not even the professor, voted in favor of the visit, and the question was decided in the negative. In the middle of the afternoon the captain went on shore in the first cutter to attend to the formality of clearing. On his return the order was given to heave up the anchor, and the ship's company of the Maud was sent on board of her. The officers took leave of the party that were to proceed in the ship.
"I want to sail some day in the Maud, Captain Ringgold," interposed Miss Blanche.
"Not now, I hope, for it will soon be night, and there are no accommodations on board of her for you," replied the captain.
"No; I mean some day when the sea is not too rough," added the maiden.
"There will be no difficulty at all about it, Miss Woolridge; and I thought of sending all my passengers on board of the Maud when we get to the Archipelago, for then we shall be in sight of land all the time among the islands. I can easily put you on board of her some morning when it is pleasant, and you say the word."
Louis was satisfied that Miss Blanche would soon be a passenger on board of the Maud for a day, and he went to his duties on board of the little steamer. He had talked with the professor about his studies, and he took his books with him. The pilot was on board the Guardian-Mother, and the Maud was to follow her out of the harbor. The two steamers went to sea that night, and the weather was delightful. The rough sea had subsided, and the commander anticipated a prosperous voyage.
He was not mistaken in his prognostication; for in four days and sixteen hours the steamers were off Cape Matapan, the southern point of Greece. The professor became enthusiastic when the name was announced; Dr. Hawkes and Uncle Moses, both of whom were graduates of colleges and interested in classic lore, were not unmoved.