week on
the coast of your majesty's dominions."

The king actually laughed at this confident reply. As he bowed slightly,
Paul, for the first time in his life, backed out, and continued to back
till he reached his station at the head of the Josephines. The king then
bowed to the whole line, and retired. As he did so, Flag-officer Gordon
called for three more cheers. The king turned and bowed again. This
time the snapper, in the form of the tiger, was applied, which so
astonished the royal personage that he turned once more, laughed, and
bowed.

Professor Hamblin looked very nervous and discontented. "That boy" had
been presented to the king, and he, who had compiled a Greek Grammar, a
Greek Reader, and edited the Anabasis, had been "left out in the cold."
If it was possible for a great mind like that of the _savant_ to harbor
such a vicious feeling as envy, he certainly envied Paul Kendall his
brief interview with the King of the Belgians.

The party retired from the garden, and returned to the carriages. It
appeared in explanation of this unexpected honor, that the governor of
Antwerp had waited on the king that day, and informed him casually of
the presence of the students of the academy squadron in the capital, and
he had expressed a desire to see them in a very informal manner. Mr.
Lowington was no "flunky," and never sought admission to the presence of
royalty, for himself or his pupils.

As the procession of omnibuses and fiacres moved down to the lower town,
they were thrown into great excitement by seeing many of the streets and
houses dressed with flags and other devices. On inquiring at the hotel,
Mr. Molenschot informed Paul that it was a saint's day, and that a
religious procession would march through some of the principal streets.

"Go down into the Boulevard d'Anvers, and you will have a good chance to
see the show," added the landlord.

"What is it?"

"O, it is really very fine and very grand; but go at once, or you will
be too late."

The students were permitted to go to the street indicated, and they had
hardly secured a good place before they heard martial music, playing a
solemn dirge.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE VICE-PRINCIPAL.

[Illustration: A RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN BRUSSELS.--Page 230.]

A crowd of people preceded the procession, as it came out of the Rue de
Laeken into the Boulevard d'Anvers. At the head of it marched the
military band, and the _cortege_ was flanked by soldiers o