|
reward of two hundred pounds if I reach Yokohama in time." `
`
`
`
"Are you in earnest?" `
`
`
`
"Very much so." `
`
`
`
The pilot walked away a little distance, and gazed out to sea, `
`
evidently struggling between the anxiety to gain a large sum `
`
and the fear of venturing so far. Fix was in mortal suspense. `
`
`
`
Mr. Fogg turned to Aouda and asked her, "You would not be afraid, `
`
would you, madam?" `
`
`
`
"Not with you, Mr. Fogg," was her answer. `
`
`
`
The pilot now returned, shuffling his hat in his hands. `
`
`
`
"Well, pilot?" said Mr. Fogg. `
`
`
`
"Well, your honour," replied he, "I could not risk myself, my men, `
`
or my little boat of scarcely twenty tons on so long a voyage `
`
at this time of year. Besides, we could not reach Yokohama in time, `
`
for it is sixteen hundred and sixty miles from Hong Kong." `
`
`
`
"Only sixteen hundred," said Mr. Fogg. `
`
`
`
"It's the same thing." `
`
`
`
Fix breathed more freely. `
`
`
`
"But," added the pilot, "it might be arranged another way." `
`
`
`
Fix ceased to breathe at all. `
`
`
`
"How?" asked Mr. Fogg. `
`
`
`
"By going to Nagasaki, at the extreme south of Japan, or even `
`
to Shanghai, which is only eight hundred miles from here. `
`
In going to Shanghai we should not be forced to sail wide `
`
of the Chinese coast, which would be a great advantage, `
`
as the currents run northward, and would aid us." `
`
`
`
"Pilot," said Mr. Fogg, "I must take the American steamer `
`
at Yokohama, and not at Shanghai or Nagasaki." `
`
`
`
"Why not?" returned the pilot. "The San Francisco steamer `
`
does not start from Yokohama. It puts in at Yokohama `
`
and Nagasaki, but it starts from Shanghai." `
`
`
`
"You are sure of that?" `
`
`
`
"Perfectly." `
`
`
`
"And when does the boat leave Shanghai?" `
`
`
`
"On the 11th, at seven in the evening. We have, therefore, `
`
four days before us, that is ninety-six hours; and in that time, `
`
if we had good luck and a south-west wind, and the sea was calm, `
`
we could make those eight hundred miles to Shanghai." `
`
`
`
"And you could go--" `
`
`
`
"In an hour; as soon as provisions could be got aboard `
`
and the sails put up." `
`
`
`
"It is a bargain. Are you the master of the boat?" `
`
`
`
"Yes; John Bunsby, master of the Tankadere." `
`
`
`
"Would you like some earnest-money?" `
`
`
`
"If it would not put your honour out--" `
`
`
`
"Here are two hundred pounds on account sir," added Phileas Fogg, `
`
turning to Fix, "if you would like to take advantage--" `
`
`
`
"Thanks, sir; I was about to ask the favour." `
`
`
`
"Very well. In half an hour we shall go on board." `
`
`
`
"But poor Passepartout?" urged Aouda, who was much disturbed `
`
by the servant's disappearance. `
`
`
`
"I shall do all I can to find him," replied Phileas Fogg. `
`
`
`
While Fix, in a feverish, nervous state, repaired to the pilot-boat, `
`
the others directed their course to the police-station at Hong Kong. `
`
Phileas Fogg there gave Passepartout's description, and left a sum of money `
`
to be spent in the search for him. The same formalities having been gone `
`
through at the French consulate, and the palanquin having stopped at the hotel `
`
for the luggage, which had been sent back there, they returned to the wharf. `
`
`
`
It was now three o'clock; and pilot-boat No. 43, with its crew `
`
on board, and its provisions stored away, was ready for departure. `
`
`
`
The Tankadere was a neat little craft of twenty tons, `
`
as gracefully built as if she were a racing yacht. `
`
Her shining copper sheathing, her galvanised iron-work, `
`
her deck, white as ivory, betrayed the pride taken by John Bunsby `
`
in making her presentable. Her two masts leaned a trifle backward; `
`
she carried brigantine, foresail, storm-jib, and standing-jib, `
`
and was well rigged for running before the wind; and she seemed capable `
`
of brisk speed, which, indeed, she had already proved by gaining `
`
several prizes in pilot-boat races. The crew of the Tankadere `
`
was composed of John Bunsby, the master, and four hardy mariners, `
`
who were familiar with the Chinese seas. John Bunsby, himself, `
`
a man of forty-five or thereabouts, vigorous, sunburnt, with a `
`
sprightly expression of the eye, and energetic and self-reliant `
`
countenance, would have inspired confidence in the most timid. `
`
`
`
Phileas Fogg and Aouda went on board, where they found Fix `
`
already installed. Below deck was a square cabin, of which `
`
the walls bulged out in the form of cots, above a circular divan; `
`
in the centre was a table provided with a swinging lamp. `
`
The accommodation was confined, but neat. `
`
`
`
"I am sorry to have nothing better to offer you," said Mr. `
`
Fogg to Fix, who bowed without responding. `
`
`
`
The detective had a feeling akin to humiliation in profiting `
`
by the kindness of Mr. Fogg. `
`
`
`
"It's certain," thought he, "though rascal as he is, he is a polite one!" `
`
`
`
The sails and the English flag were hoisted at ten minutes past three. `
`
Mr. Fogg and Aouda, who were seated on deck, cast a last glance at the quay, `
`
in the hope of espying Passepartout. Fix was not without his fears `
`
lest chance should direct the steps of the unfortunate servant, `
`
whom he had so badly treated, in this direction; in which case `
`
an explanation the reverse of satisfactory to the detective `
`
must have ensued. But the Frenchman did not appear, and, without doubt, `
`
was still lying under the stupefying influence of the opium. `
`
`
`
John Bunsby, master, at length gave the order to start, and `
`
the Tankadere, taking the wind under her brigantine, foresail, `
`
and standing-jib, bounded briskly forward over the waves. `
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
Chapter XXI `
`
`
`
IN WHICH THE MASTER OF THE "TANKADERE" RUNS `
`
GREAT RISK OF LOSING A REWARD OF TWO HUNDRED POUNDS `
`
`
`
`
`
This voyage of eight hundred miles was a perilous venture `
`
on a craft of twenty tons, and at that season of the year. `
`
The Chinese seas are usually boisterous, subject to terrible `
`
gales of wind, and especially during the equinoxes; `
`
and it was now early November. `
`
`
`
It would clearly have been to the master's advantage to carry `
`
his passengers to Yokohama, since he was paid a certain sum per day; `
`
but he would have been rash to attempt such a voyage, and it was imprudent `
`
even to attempt to reach Shanghai. But John Bunsby believed in the Tankadere, `
`
which rode on the waves like a seagull; and perhaps he was not wrong. `
`
`
`
Late in the day they passed through the capricious channels of Hong Kong, `
`
and the Tankadere, impelled by favourable winds, conducted herself admirably. `
`
`
`
"I do not need, pilot," said Phileas Fogg, when they got into `
`
the open sea, "to advise you to use all possible speed." `
`
`
`
"Trust me, your honour. We are carrying all the sail the wind will let us. `
`
The poles would add nothing, and are only used when we are going into port." `
`
`
`
"Its your trade, not mine, pilot, and I confide in you." `
`
`
`
Phileas Fogg, with body erect and legs wide apart, standing `
`
like a sailor, gazed without staggering at the swelling waters. `
`
The young woman, who was seated aft, was profoundly affected `
`
as she looked out upon the ocean, darkening now with the twilight, `
`
on which she had ventured in so frail a vessel. Above her head `
`
rustled the white sails, which seemed like great white wings. `
`
The boat, carried forward by the wind, seemed to be flying in the air. `
`
`
`
Night came. The moon was entering her first quarter, and her `
`
insufficient light would soon die out in the mist on the horizon. `
`
Clouds were rising from the east, and already overcast a part `
`
of the heavens. `
`
`
`
The pilot had hung out his lights, which was very necessary `
`
in these seas crowded with vessels bound landward; for collisions `
`
are not uncommon occurrences, and, at the speed she was going, `
`
the least shock would shatter the gallant little craft. `
`
`
`
Fix, seated in the bow, gave himself up to meditation. He kept apart `
`
from his fellow-travellers, knowing Mr. Fogg's taciturn tastes; besides, `
`
he did not quite like to talk to the man whose favours he had accepted. `
`
He was thinking, too, of the future. It seemed certain that Fogg would not `
`
stop at Yokohama, but would at once take the boat for San Francisco; `
`
and the vast extent of America would ensure him impunity and safety. `
`
Fogg's plan appeared to him the simplest in the world. Instead of sailing `
`
directly from England to the United States, like a common villain, `
`
he had traversed three quarters of the globe, so as to gain the `
`
American continent more surely; and there, after throwing `
`
the police off his track, he would quietly enjoy himself `
`
with the fortune stolen from the bank. But, once in the United States, `
`
what should he, Fix, do? Should he abandon this man? No, a hundred times no! `
`
Until he had secured his extradition, he would not lose sight of him for an hour. `
`
|