The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 20 Captain Grant's Children (20)
"Well, come to think of it, my poor father, where are you?" continued little Robert. "My dear sir, you have been our saviour, who have worked so hard to help me find my father!"

"My child, little Robert, you love your father very much!"

"Yes, Mr. Sir, remembering that my father has always been very kind to me and my sister, and has always thought about and cared about us. I still remember that every time he returned from a long voyage, he would bring us souvenirs wherever he went. Every time my father returned When we came home, he hugged us, caressed us, and asked questions about this and that. Oh, yes, Sir, if you meet my father, you will like him too. Sister Mary is very like me Father, speak kindly and softly. Sir, do you not find it strange that a sailor should speak softly?"

"Well, yes, little Robert, I also find it a little strange." Sir Glenarvan said.

"Now, I feel that my father is right in front of my eyes," said little Robert to himself, "Dad, my dear and good father! I still remember when I was a child, he always liked to hold me in his arms and hold me in his mouth. Humming some Scottish ditties, slowly lulling me to sleep. I still remember that the tunes were all descriptions of beautiful lakes in Scotland. Until now, I can remember that tune, but only vaguely. I believe Sister Mary must also remember! Ah, Sir, my sister and I really love him, and the younger we were, the more we loved our father!"

"The older I get, the more I respect my father, my little Robert!" Glenarvan felt the child's deep love for his father from these words, and couldn't help but said moved.

After these conversations, the horse's pace also slowed down and walked slowly.

"By the way, Sir, do you think we will find our father?" After a moment of silence, Robert Jr. continued to ask.

"Of course, we will be able to find your father." Sir Glenarvan said while replying, "Look, Tarcaf has provided us with such good clues, and I have always trusted him. "

"This Tarcaf is really a warm-hearted and upright Patagonian." Robert Jr. praised.

"indeed so."

"Sir, I think there's something you don't know."

"Which point?"

"Actually, all the people who are with you are kind and good people. For example, Mrs. Helen, Captain Mengel, the major, Paganel, and all the sailors on the 'Duncan', I like them very much, like Their brave and passionate character.”

"Son, of course I know that."

"But you know what, you have the best heart of all good people."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Mr. Jazz, you must know this." Little Robert said as he took Jazz's hand and kissed it.

Sir Glenarvan shook his head slightly.This conversation did not continue, because as they talked, they fell behind unknowingly, and they were a long way away from Tarcaf.Tarcaf was in front, beckoning to them, motioning them to follow quickly.The reason is very simple, time is running out, and there are companions waiting for them to come back, so they can't be so slow all the time!
So Sir and Robert Jr. raised their whips again, and urged the horse to gallop.After catching up with Tarcaf, he didn't run for long, but found that except "Taojia", the other two horses were exhausted.It seems that at noon, these horses are really tired and need to let the horses rest for a while.The scorching sun dried up a large clump of alfalfa.

Sir Glenarvan felt very melancholy. Looking at the dry weather, if no water source could be found, the consequences would be very tragic.Takaf, who has always been calm, is also frowning at this time.Although he was always silent, but in his heart, he must be very afraid of not being able to find a water source.

After resting for a while, they set off again.They made up their minds, raised their whips and used spurs, and resorted to various methods to force the horses to go on the road.It's just that the horses can only be allowed to move forward slowly, and they are not ordered to run.

In fact, Tarcaf could have run to the front, because his horse, Toka, was always so energetic that he could get him to a water source in a few hours.However, he didn't do it, and he didn't want to, because he didn't think it right to abandon his two traveling companions in this wild and dry place.Therefore, he has been reining in the horse to stop "Taojia" from running quickly.

But this "Taojia" seems to be impatient by nature, and I really can't get used to it slowing down and walking slowly.I saw it was always jumping, struggling, and neighing vigorously, looking very impatient.Takaf felt very helpless, he could only tighten the rein tightly, and then comforted it with all kinds of good words.It seemed that Tarcaf and "Taojia" were muttering and chatting with it for a long time. Although the horse didn't answer anything, it could be seen that it understood the master's thoughts.Presumably, Takafu also said a lot of truths to "Taojia". In the end, "Taojia" was finally persuaded, and his pace slowed down, but he kept lowering his head and biting the iron, with an impatient, restless expression. Looks patient.

In fact, "Taojia" knows its master, and the master also knows "Taojia" very well.Takaf also saw that this "Taojia" has always been very smart and has a very sensitive sense of smell; looking at it, it seems to feel the moisture in the air, and its thirsty desire makes it smell the moisture crazily.Watching its tongue squeak and squeak, as if it is stretched out to drink water from a spring.Takaf also understood at this moment that this place is not far from the water.

So Takaf told the traveling companions all the reasons why he thought "Taojia" was impatient, so as to encourage them to move forward.At the same time, the other two horses also seemed to understand what "Taojia" was thinking, so they mustered up their energy and followed closely behind "Taojia", running with all their strength.Finally, around three o'clock in the afternoon, under the scorching sun, the three of them saw a white line of water glistening.

"My God, water!" exclaimed Sir Glenarvan.

"Water, water, water..." Little Robert followed excitedly.

Although they didn't urge them on the horse, the three horses rushed over like arrows leaving the string.In a few minutes, the horses rushed to the Guamini River, and then, saddled and man, rolled into the river at once, and the water reached the master's chest.Although the three masters were soaked by the river and their clothes were all wet, they were very excited.

"Ah, this is so beautiful!" Little Robert exclaimed happily while drinking the river water.

"My child, drink slowly!" Although Sir Glenarvan reminded little Robert, he kept drinking himself.

In this uninhabited river, there is a sound of drinking water at this moment.Tarcaf was also drinking, but not as impatiently as the other two; I saw him taking small sips and drinking slowly; but he drank continuously and continuously, as if he was going to drink the whole river.

"Very good, very good!" exclaimed Sir Glenarvan repeatedly. "This way, our companions will not be disappointed! As soon as we reach the Guamini River, we will have water to drink. See , the water in this river is clear and abundant, but I hope our Tarcaf will not drink up this river!"

"Now, do we need to meet them?" Little Robert asked, "I think this way, everyone won't have to be so anxious for a few hours!"

"My child, you are right! But there is no way to bring this water! Wilson is holding a leather bucket, so let's not go to meet him, and wait here in peace! From the point of view of the distance, according to the slow speed of the horse walking speed, they can also come here tonight, so we still prepare a resting place for our companions and prepare dinner for them."

This Tarcaf went alone to find the camp before waiting for the order of the knight.Fortunately, he found a yard called "Ramata" by the river.This "Ramata" is a yard surrounded by walls on three sides, which is used to enclose livestock such as cattle and sheep.There is absolutely no problem staying overnight in "Ramata", but it is necessary to camp in the open air. Jazz and Robert Jr. are not picky about this.Therefore, they did not look elsewhere, but in this "Ramata", they hung their soaked clothes in the sun and let it dry slowly.

"Now that we have a place to live, it's time to solve the problem of food." Sir Glenarvan said, "We can't wait until our friends come up later to find out that we have no food. So we should hunt around. What do you think, little one?" Robert?"

"Well, no problem, I'll go with you!" The kid replied bluntly, and after speaking, he picked up the gun.

On both sides of the Guamini River, there are all kinds of animals such as birds and beasts gather, so Sir Glenarvan thought of hunting.On the river, there are various birds flying in groups; among these birds, there is the unique red partridge on the Pampas prairie, which is called "Tinamu" by the local people; "Deluo Deluo" Jujiu; and black partridge, as well as a large number of yellow rail and green grouse.There are some wild beasts haunting the tall grass and woods; Sir, they can enter the hunting area with the richest resources in the world as long as they go a short distance.

Jazz and Robert Jr. felt that the birds in the sky were not enough to satisfy their hunger, so they decided to fight the beast first.The continuous bang bang gunshots pierced the silence of the grassland.At this moment, hundreds of robes and guanacos ran out from the silent mountain forest.Just like that night on the plateau, the animals rushing in groups are the same.The animals were running so fast that the guns could not be aimed for a moment.I have no choice but to choose the easier ones. It seems that I can only hunt birds from the sky and use them to make delicious food.It didn't take long before they shot down about a dozen red partridges and crakes.What's more, Sir Glenarvan also shot a wild boar called "Tettoul" by the locals with one shot.Wild boar is known to be a delicious delicacy, and these harvests made them very happy.

In less than half an hour, the two had obtained a large bundle of prey, and they were naturally in a very happy mood, without feeling tired at all.It was an armadillo called an "Almadero" that Robert Jr. had shot; it was covered with scales, and was about a foot and five inches in body, and was very fat.Tarcafe, a native of Patagonia, said that the armadillo was a rare delicacy, which made Robert Jr. even more proud of his harvest.What Takafu caught was an animal unique to the Pampas prairie—the ostrich, which is called "Nandu" in the local language.Tarcaf did not shoot the ostrich with his gun, but galloped on his horse, rushed to the front of the bird, and intercepted it.Because ostriches are good at running in circles; if people shoot with a gun, they often cannot be killed with a single shot;Takaf first ran to the front of the ostrich, and then threw out the "paola" he was carrying, which caught the ostrich's feet very accurately, making it unable to move; within a short while, the ostrich fell dead on the ground.

After some hunting, the harvest of these three people is really not small.Among the animals brought to "Ramata" were: a bunch of partridges and crakes, Tarcave's ostriches, Sir's boars, and Robert Jr.'s armadillos.The three men first skinned the ostrich and wild boar, opened them, and cut them into small pieces of meat; armadillo itself is a rare and precious game, with "barbecue trays" attached to its whole body, so they only It needs to be with the shell, just put it on the fire and bake it.

The three of them first used partridges and crakes as food for dinner; as for the larger animals, they left them for their friends to eat later.While eating the meat, the three drank the cool river water, feeling that the river water was far better than any fine wine in the world.It even feels that the famous "Usquipo whiskey produced in Scotland and Ireland" in the Scottish Highlands cannot be compared with it.

While they were full, they did not forget to feed the horses; in the "La Mata", there are piles of dry hay that can fill the horses.When they had eaten and drank enough and put everything in order, the three of them wrapped up in the "canopy", lay down on piles of fluffy alfalfa and fell asleep.This alfalfa is the soft mattress prepared by the pampas prairie for hunters.It is really comfortable for people to lie on it!

Attack of the Red Wolves

Night fell slowly.It was at the beginning of the month at this time, and the moon was not visible in the dark night sky, only a few stars were shining faintly.Looking up at the distant sky, the constellations of the tomb road in the past have been covered by the endless night.The Guamini River flows quietly on the ground, and the gentle sound of the river is like a large piece of oil gently sliding over the mica stone surface.Birds and beasts are living quietly, and this piece of desert has become silent.

Glenarvan, Robert, and Tarcafe, too tired to hold on, stretched themselves out on the alfalfa cushion, and lay down and fell asleep.Their horses also fell asleep on the ground, resting their tired bodies.Only the excellent thoroughbred horse, "Taojia", still stands upright and sleeps upright; as in the daytime, it still looks so energetic and heroic, like a sentinel ready to go into battle.At this time, the courtyard was quiet, and the fire in the stove was also extinguished.In the dark night, only a little embers flickered the last little red light.

However, just before ten o'clock at night, Tarcaf woke up from his dream after taking a nap.He stood up vigilantly, frowned, pricked up his ears, and listened intently, feeling that there was a faint voice coming from the other side of the grassland.Not long after, a trace of uneasiness appeared on his calm face, which was almost expressionless.He felt that the sound was made by the Indians sneaking here, or was it the sound of the black-spotted tiger, water tiger or some kind of beast that often appeared along the river bank came to attack?Listening carefully, he felt that the latter possibility was the greatest.He glanced lightly at the fuel piled up in the yard, growing increasingly worried.Because he knew that the dry alfalfa used as fuel was actually not much, and it would burn out soon, and it was difficult to resist the attack of ferocious beasts for a long time.

At this moment, Takaf was really helpless and had no choice but to quietly observe the changes in the matter.So, he could only wait quietly.He was half lying on his body, resting his head on his hands, pressing his elbows on his legs, staring blankly, like a person who woke up from a dream.

Another hour passed.If it was someone else, when they heard that there was no sound nearby, they would lie down and continue to sleep with peace of mind.But this Indian, who has a keen sense like a hunting dog, has a natural ability to sense that a great danger is approaching.

He just listened quietly and carefully, while "Taojia" let out a faint hiss, and stretched his nose towards the exit of the yard.At this moment, Takaf suddenly raised his waist and stood upright.

"My horse, Toka, senses a dangerous enemy approaching," said the Patagonian.

So he stood up again, walked out of the yard, and looked carefully at the boundless prairie.

At this time, the grassland was still silent, but it seemed very unsettled.Tarcaf, with sharp eyes, saw some faint black shadows flickering quietly among the nearby clover.Slowly, he saw some sparse streamers shining brightly, and these streamers gathered from all directions, gathering more and more, brightening and dimming at one time; countless phosphorus fires dancing on the surface of the mirror-like lake.Outsiders who don't know the situation will think that this is the fireflies that are often seen flying on the Pampas prairie; but the smart Tarcaf will not make mistakes, and he knows exactly what kind of enemies there will be Sneak attack.So he loaded the gun immediately, and hid behind a pillar, watching carefully.

Not long after, a shrill howl sounded in the silent grassland.Then another bang of gunfire answered the cry, which, shortly afterwards, turned into a frightful roar.

The sound of the shot naturally awakened Sir Glenarvan and Robert Jr., and they stood up from the grass at once.

"What's going on?" Little Robert asked.

"Are the Indians coming?" asked Sir Glenarvan, too.

"No," Tarcaf replied, "it's 'Aguara'!"

Little Robert looked at Sir Glenarvan full of doubts again, and asked, "What is 'Aguala'?"

"That's right," Sir Glenarvan continued, "it should be the red wolf in the pampas."

At this moment, the two immediately picked up their guns and walked to Tarcaf's side.Takaf pointed to the outside of the yard, meaning to let them pay attention to the dark grassland, because the cry came from that area.

Robert Jr. took a step back involuntarily.

"Son, are you afraid of these wolves?" asked Sir Glenarvan concerned.

"Sir, I'm not afraid!" Little Robert continued with a firm tone, "Actually, as long as I'm with you, I have nothing to be afraid of!"

"Okay! Actually, in other words, the red wolves are nothing to be afraid of. If it weren't for the large number of them coming, we don't have to care at all!"

"Yes, they come here, I will let them suffer!"

Sir Glenarvan said this in order to assuage the fear of the boy, who, to tell the truth, was terrified of so many red wolves attacking on this night.Looking at the situation, it is estimated that there are hundreds of red wolves coming, and there are only three people here. No matter how powerful the weapons are, it is really impossible to gain the upper hand against these ferocious beasts.

(End of this chapter)