The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-06

its speed increased uhucT tlie uOuDfS
impetus of steam and sail. The vessel |
thus made her way over short and
sometimes fatiguing sea, along the
shores of Anam and Cochin China.
But the passengers would hare to
blame the Rangoon rather than the
ocean for their sickness and fatigue.
In fact, the ships of the Peninsalar
Company, in the China service, are Sc
riously defective in their construction.
The proportion of their draught, when
loaded, to their depth of hold, has been
badly calculated, and consequently they
stand the sea but poorly. Great
precautions had to be taken in bad
weather. 1t was sometimes necessary
to sail under small head of steam.
This loss of time did not seem to affect
Phileas Fogg at alb but Passepartout
was much put out about it. He blamed
the Captain, the engineer and the
company, and sent to old Nick all
those who had anything to do with the
transportation of the passengers. Per-
haps,- also, the thought of the gas
burner still burning at his expense in
the house in Seville Row had a large
share in his impotence.
''Are you in very great hurry to
arrive at Hong Kong?" the detective
asked him one day.
"In very great hurryh' replied
Passepartout.
You think that MIR. Fogg is in
hurry to take the Yokohama steamer?'
''ln dreadful hurry"
"Then you believe now in this
singular voyage around the world?''
Absolutely, And you, Monsieur
FixP''
ZIP ] don't believe in il"
you're sly fellow" replied Passe-
partout, winking at him.
This expression left the detective III a
reveries The epithet disturbed him
without his knowing very well why.
Had the Frenchman guessed his pur-
posep He did not know what to think.
But how had Passepartout been able to
| discover his capacity as detective. the
secret of which he alone knew. And
yet in speaking thus to him Passe-
partout certainly had an after-thought.
1t happened another day that the
| good fellow went further. 1t was too
much for him; he could no longer hold
H''' 1T / see, Monsieur Fix" he ask
| ed his companion in a roguish tone.
"when we have arrived at Hong Kong.
shall we be so unfortunate as TO leave
you therePn
"Ohr' replied Fix, quite embarrass-
ed, 81 do not know! Perhaps"
'Ah!'' said Passepartout, "n you
accompany us, would be so happg!
Let us seei An agent of the Peninsular
Company could not stop on the route!
You were only going to Bombay, and
now you will soon bein China. America
is not far oil, and from America to
Europe it is only stepr' .
Fix looked attentiyely at his eonlpan-
ion, who showed the pleasantest face in
| the world, and he decided to laugh with
| him. But the latter who was in the
humor, asked him if his business
| brought him in much?
"Yes and no." replied Fix without
frowning. There are fortunate and
unfortunate business enterprises. But
you understand of course. that don t
travel at my own expense"
''Oh! am very sure of that, y replied
Passepartout. laughing still louder.
The conversation finished, FIX re-
turned to his cabin, and sat down to
think. He was evidently suspected.
In one way or Another the Frenchman
had recognized his capacity as a de-
tective., But had he warned his mas
ter? What role would he play in all
this? Was he an accomplice or ndf
Had they got wind of the matter, and
was it consequently all up? The detect
i've passed some perplexings hours
there. at one time believing everything
lost; at one time hoping that Fogg was
ignorant of the situation, and, finally,
not knowing what course 10 pursue.
Meanwhile his brain became calmer.
and he resolved to act frankly with
Passepartout. If matters were MOI in
the proper shape to arrest Fogg al
Hong Kong, and if Fogg was then pre-
pared to leave finally the English terri
tory, he (Fix) would tell Passepstoui
everything. Either the servant was the
accomplice of his master, and the latter
knew everything, and in this case the
affair was definitely compromised, o.
the servant had no part in the robbery
and then his interest would be to aban
don the robber.
Such was the respective situations o
these two men. and above them Philea!
Fogg was lowering in his majestic in
difference. He was accomplishing
nationally his orbit around the world
without being troubled by the asteroids
gravitating around him.
| And vat tho vicinity fhnrp WAC
according to the expression of astrono
mers-a disturbing star which ought tt
have produced certain agitation il
this gentleman heart. But mol TIT
charm of Mrs. Aouda did not act, to tn
great surprise of Passepartout, and tn,
| disturbances, if they existed, would hav'
been more difficult to calculate thai
! those of Uranus, which led to the dis
/ coyery of Neptune.
. Yes! it was a surprise every day TO
Passepartout, who read in the eyes o
the young woman so much gratitude t,
his master! Phileas Fogg had decided
ly heart enough for heroic actions. bu
: for love, none ut all! As tor th
thoughts which the chances of the jour
ney might have produced in him, Their
wis ilub u bub " d
!, living in continued trance, One day
leaning on the railing of the engine
room, he was looking at the powerful
engine which sometimes moved YER
! violently, when, with the pitching c
the vessel, the screw would fly out G
. the water. The steam then escape
from the valves. which provoked th
anger OF the worthy fellow.
i, These valves are not charge
enoughts he cried. We are not going
a Oh, these Englishmeni Ii we were onl
in an American vessel, we would blo'
, | up, perhaps, but we would go NOR
swiftly!''
CHAPTER XVIII.
1 IN WHICH PHILEAs FoaG, PAssEPART0UT AN
l FIX, EACH GOES ABOUT HIS OWN BUSINESS
During the last few days of the voJ
! age the weather was pretty bad. Tn
Mid l,,,..,,,,,, x7o1-sy hasaf arorla Rnfn0iY