"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 of the 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."