The order which Mr. Lowington had shown him would remedy the difficulty in future, and prevent its repetition; but if that order was promulgated, it would assure the pupils that Captain Kendall had been fully sustained, and that the professor had not been sustained. Mr. Hamblin shuddered at the thought; for justifying a student at the expense of the instructor was an enormity which he could not countenance. The captain's will would remain unbroken, and the professor would occupy a secondary position on board of the Josephine.
The learned gentleman walked the deck hour after hour, endeavoring to devise a plan by which he could return to his position without the sacrifice of any portion of his dignity. Mr. Lowington, in saying that the professor's resignation would be a serious inconvenience to him, had left the door open for him to revise his final action. The squadron was eventually to visit Greece and other classic lands, and he was very anxious to continue his travels, not only without expense to himself, but while in the receipt of a handsome salary. Such an opportunity to see Europe could never again be presented to him, and he was not willing to sacrifice it.
Professor Hamblin was becoming more reasonable; but there was the untamed will of Captain Kendall, an unconquered fortress, in his path. Perhaps Mr. Lowington, now that the excitement of the first interview had subsided, might help him out of the embarrassing dilemma, though his decided manner was not very encouraging. The professor determined to have another interview, and as soon as he saw the principal alone he opened the subject again.
"What you said about my resignation, Mr. Lowington, gives me some uneasiness. It is not my wish to subject you to any inconvenience by leaving you, in a foreign land, where much delay must necessarily ensue before you can obtain a suitable person to fill my place," said he, in a tone of embarrassment.
"It would disturb my plans very much; but I cannot endanger the vessel and the lives of those on board of her. The position of Captain Kendall is anomalous, you will perceive."
"I am quite willing now to say that if I had understood the situation, I should have permitted Mr. Kendall to leave the class."
"And I am quite willing to say that your services as an instructor are entirely satisfactory to me," added the principal, with a smile.
They were more satisfactory to him than they were to the students of the Josephine.
"Then we seem to be in full accord with each other on these points," replied the professor, hopefully. "I trust some arrangement may be made to reconcile the differences of opinion on the question of discipline. You do not sustain me, Mr. Lowington."
"I cannot, sir. If I did, I should expect the Josephine to go to the bottom with all on board, in the first gale of wind she encounters, should Captain Kendall happen to be reciting his Greek at the time."