Instead of doing this, he went to the record book of the Josephine, and ascertained that Duncan was marked among the highest in French. Now Duncan was a very polite and respectful student, and Mr. Hamblin had a greater regard for him than for most of his companions. Finding this promising young man on deck, he invited him to the sacred precincts of the professor's state-room. Duncan was even more polite and obliging than usual. At the request of his present host, who did not offer any explanations, he wrote out a translation of the important letter. Mr. Hamblin thanked him, and he retired.
There was no material difference between the translations of Mr. Stoute and Duncan, and the learned professor congratulated himself upon the distinction he had attained. His fame as a savant had preceded him across the ocean. The king's chief minister courted his acquaintance. This was the homage which greatness paid to learning, and Mr. Hamblin was willing to believe that it was a deserved tribute. He soon worked himself into a flutter of excitement, in anticipation of being taken by the hand by the king's chief minister, and he slept but little during the night, so absorbed was he in the contemplation of the distinguished honor which awaited him.
"Professor Hamblin is going to court," said Duncan to his old friend the captain, when they met on deck after supper.
"To court whom?" laughed Paul.
"He has had an invitation to go to court to see the big bugs. I translated a letter for him from the minister of foreign affairs; and I suppose he's about the biggest toad in the Belgian puddle," added Duncan. "You won't be able to touch him with a ten-foot pole after that."
"We shall get along very well with him, if we only do our duty," said Paul.
"The fellows are not very fond of him; and if he puts on any more airs, they won't be able to stand it."
"Why, what's the matter, Duncan? asked Paul, anxiously, for generally everything had gone on so well on board of the Josephine, that he dreaded any trouble.
"O, nothing, nothing!" laughed Duncan; "only the fellows don't like him."
"Ben, there's something up," said Paul, earnestly. "If the fellows think anything at all of me, they won't make any trouble. If I don't complain of Mr. Hamblin, they needn't."