The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-09

asked Mr. Fogg.
Yes, your honor. a pilot-boat, No.
43, the best in the fiotilla."
"She goes fastP''
Between eight and nine knots an
hour, nearly the latter. Will you look
at her?"
stYes."
"Your honor viii be satisfied. Is it
for an excursions"
mo; for voyage. "
"A voyageT'
"You viii undertake to convey me
to Yokohamapn
The sailor, st these words, stood
with arms extended and eyes starting
from his head.
Tour honor is joking?" he said.
mo, l have snissed the sailing of
the Carnatic, and | must be at Yoko-
hama on the 18th, at the latest, 10 take
the steamer for San Francisco"
regret it" replied the pilot, "but
it is impossible"
~ offer You one hundred pounds
per day, and reward of two hundred
pounds if l arrive in time"
You are in earnestH asked the
pilot.
Very much in earnest" replied
Mr. Fogg.
The pilot withdrew to one side He
looked at the sea, evidently struggling
between the desire to gain an enor-
NOUS sum and the fear OF yenturing so
far. Fix was in mental suspense.
During this time, Mr.. Fogg had re-
turned to Mrs. Aouda.
"You will not be afraid. madame?"
he asked.
with you-no, Mr.. Fogg," replied
the young woman.
The pilot had come toward the gen.
tleman again, and was twisting his hat
in his hands.
"Well, pilot?" said Mr.. Fogg.
"Wel, your HONOR replied the
pilot, 81 can risk neither my men, nor
myself, nor yourself. in SO long voy-
age on a boat of scarcely twenty tons,
at this time of the year. Besides, we
would not arrive in time, for it is six
teen hundred and fifty miles from Hong
Kong to Yokohama."
"Only sixteen hundred" said Mr..
Fogg.
Fix took good long breath.
But added the pilot, "there
might. perhaps, be a means to arrange
it otherwise. ,"
Fix did not breathe any more.
~'HowP" asked Phileas Fogg.
by going to Nagasaki, the southern
extremity of Japan, eleven hundred
miles, or only to Shanghai, eight hun
bred miles from Hong Kong. In this
last journey, we would not be at any
great distance from the Chinese coast
which would be a great advantage, al
the more so that the currents run to the
north.
Pilot" replied Phileas Fogg, 81
must take the American mail steamer
at Yokohama, and not at Shanghai o.
Nagasaki.'
"'Why notP" replied the pilot. "Th,
San Francisco steamer does not star
from Yokohama. She stops there an'
at Nagasaki, but her port of departur
is Shanghai"
You are certain of what you ar
sayingP"
"Certain."
"And when does the steamer leav
| Shanghai"
| On the 1lth, at seven o. clock in tn,
evening. We have then four days be
fore us. Four days. that is ninety-si,
hours. and, with an average of eigh
knots an our, il we have good luck, !
the wind keeps to the southeast, if tn
sea is calm, we can make the eight hun
dred miles which separate us from
Shanghai"
And you can leave
I'm an hour, time enough to buy IA
provisions and hoist sail. y
"lt is bargain-you are the maste
of the boat?'
"fes, John Bunsby, master of tn
Tankadere."
do you wish some earnest money!
If it does not inconvenience you
honor"
Here are two hundred pounds o
account Sir" added Phileas Fogs
turning toward Fix, IF you wish
take advantage
Sir answered Fix. rcsolutely, =
was going to ask this favor of you
well. In half an hour we will b
on board"
- But this poor fellow" said Mr.
Aouda, whom Passepartout' disappea
ance worried very much
81 am going to do all I can to fin
him." replied Phileas Fogg.
And while Fix. nervous, feveris
angry, repaired TO the pllot.boat, u
two others went to the police station
Hong Kong. Phileas Fogg gave the
Passepartout' description and left
sufficient sum to find him. The san
formality was carried out at the Frent
Consular Agents, and the palanqu
having stopped at the hotel where Il
baggage had been taken, took the ira
elers back to the outer pier.
Three o'clock struck. The pilot-boa
No. 43, her crew on board and her pr
visions slowed away. was ready to s
sail.
She was charming little schooner
twenty tons-this Tankadere- with
sharp cut-water, very graceful shal
+ and long water lines. She might ha
been called racing yacht Her shinil
: copper sheathing, her galvanized irt
work, her deck white as ivory, show
that Master John Bunsby knew how
keep her in good condition. Her ty
masts leaned little to the rear s.
carried brigantine-foresail, STORM
and standing-jib, and could rig
splendidly for rear wind. She Dug
to sail wonderfully well, and in fact S
had won several prizes in pilot-bc
) matches.
The crew of the Tankadere was COZ
posed of the master, John Bunsby, a
four men. They were of that class
l hardy sailors who, in all weathe
4 venture out in search of vessels, o
are thoroughly acquainted with the
seasons. John Bunsby. a man abe
forty-iive years, vigorous, well 81
: burnt, of alively expression, of an en-,
: getic face, self-reliant, well posted
his business, would have inspired cor
g dence in the most timorous.
Phileas Fogg and Mrs. 40 uda we
on board. Fix was already there. TIL
: went down by steps in the rear of t
4 schooner into q square cabin, who