Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 14

The mountains that fell from the sky were firmly stationed on the great plains east of the Andes.

The grass is lush and the trees are lush here, and the large apple orchards are full of fruity apple trees.It seems to have moved the rich Normandy of France together.

Travelers go from high mountains to plains, from severe winters to hot summers, from snowy mountains to grasslands, and from deserts to oases.

The earthquake stopped and the earth was silent.To be more precise, it is actually that the underground heat has gone elsewhere to find a breakthrough-because there is always a strong shock somewhere in the Andes!
This strong earthquake completely changed the appearance of the surrounding mountains and mountains, and any guide could not find the old road anyway.

At this time the sun rose from the Atlantic Ocean, and its rays shone on the Argentine plains.

At 8 o'clock in the morning, Sir Glenarvan and his companions woke up one after another under the major's vigorous calling and rescue.

They were all stunned, but there was no physical damage.The great plain was reached without difficulty, and all would have applauded if little Robert hadn't been missing.

O Robert, how much the community loves you!Paganel couldn't do without him, the indifferent Major liked him, and Sir Glenarvan loved him even more!After Glenarvan woke up, as soon as he knew that Robert was missing, he was so anxious that there were stars in front of his eyes!

He thought, Robert must have been thrown into another deep pit, and now he is desperately calling the name of his "second loving father"!
"Friends, friends!"

"Quick, quick, go find him!"

"You can't leave him alone!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"Let me down with a rope, let me down, do you understand? You must find him!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"My Robert! My dear Robert! You must be alive!"

"Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs, all of them must be searched!"

"You must be alive! Look for it, all the stone pits, mountain streams, and cliffs!"

"Otherwise, otherwise, how could I have the face to meet Captain Grant? What is it to lose the life of my son in order to save my father? What is it?" Glenarvan cried with tears.

At this moment, all the people lowered their heads, they dared not look into Glenarvan's sad eyes.

"Did you hear that? Talk quickly! Tell me, is there any hope? Tell me, tell me, tell me..." Everyone was still silent.Finally, Major McNabbs spoke first. "Friends, does any of you know when Robert disappeared?" No one could answer this question. "So, who's closest to the kid?"

"Me." Wilson replied.

"Okay. Please recall, until when was he still with you?" "...we all slid down the mountain, and finally stopped with a sudden bump... just 2 minutes before that bump , Robert is still there, and I see him still clutching the moss!"

"2 minutes! 2 minutes... Wilson, every minute feels longer than usual when skating!"

"I know that, anyway... in two minutes!" "Very well, Wilson!" said McNabbs, "was Robert on your left or your right?" "On the left. I remember his cloak still covered my face." "So, you are in our..."

"It's also on the left!" "In this way, the direction where Robert disappeared can only be this side." The major said, facing the mountain, pointing to the right side. "According to the inference of time, he should fall within two miles. Let's all search separately within this range!"

Everyone didn't speak any more, and hurriedly split up to look for it.They searched for deep pits and shallow streams, even every rock crevice, and every stone cave was not easily let go, looking for it.The clothes were torn, and the arms and legs were bleeding, but no one said a word.

Soon, they searched all the places that could be searched in the vicinity. There were several high platforms, but people couldn't go up anyway, so everyone had to give up.

Everyone didn't stop for a second, and searched all the places they could find in one go, but the result was still empty.Could it be that Robert was buried by rocks?
At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, everyone returned to the place where they left in the morning exhausted.

Glenarvan felt very sad now, he sighed and said, "I won't go, I won't go!"

Everyone thought that his nerves had been stimulated by some kind of strong stimulation, so no one said anything.

"Rest where you are!" said Paganel to the major and Austin. "Whether we continue to search or go on the road, we have to rest now!"

"Well, so be it. It seems that Sir still has a glimmer of hope in his heart! Oh, there is no hope!"

said the major. "Yeah." Austin agreed.

"Poor Robert!" said Paganel, wiping away his tears.

The major pitched his tent beside a big tree in the valley.Except for the weapon, there is only a little dried meat, cold rice and a few pieces of cloth left around.

Although there is a river nearby, the water in the river is still muddy due to the earthquake.Mu Ladi lit a fire on the grass and quickly brought hot water to everyone.Glenarvan was determined not to drink, he just lay on the ground, refusing to speak to anyone.

The night was very peaceful. After everyone fell asleep, Glenarvan got up again and walked up the hillside alone.

As he walked, he listened attentively, putting his ear to the ground from time to time, holding his breath and heartbeat, hoping to hear Robert's cry for help.

He climbed very high and walked a long distance, and when he was extremely disappointed, he opened his throat and called out Robert's name deeply.

The sad Sir Glenarvan spent the whole night on the hill, and Paganel and the major took turns following him in order to avoid accidents to the desperate man.

"Robert, Robert—" Glenarvan's heartbroken call never got any response.After daybreak, everyone brought Sir Glenarvan back from a mountain far away.

With nothing to eat, it was time for them to set off, to find Argentinian guides eastward, to prepare horses for the steppe.

But none of us dared to ask Jazz the question of "going".go back?That is simply impossible.Not only because going back was harder than going forward, but because the Duncan would be waiting for them ahead as she expected; and not where they had started.

Focus on the overall situation and the fundamental interests of everyone!Never stay here any longer.McNabbs tried to persuade him, but Glenarvan just shook his head.Sometimes he asked too urgently, and he would say a sentence to himself:

"Walk?"

"Go." "Another hour!" "Okay, another hour," replied the major.

An hour later, Glenarvan told him to wait another hour.It looked as if the condemned prisoner was begging for a delay in the execution time.

An hour, another hour, it was almost noon.After consulting everyone's opinions, McNabbs resolutely told Sir Glenarvan that he must go now! "Yes, yes, let's go! let's go!" murmured Glenarvan.Although he was talking, his eyes were still searching the mountains behind the major on the other side.

Suddenly, his hand lifted up, as if he had suffered a stroke, and pointed motionlessly at the sky.

"Look, look! There, there!" Everyone raised their heads and looked in the direction he pointed.I saw a black spot in the sky!Moreover, the black spot is getting bigger and bigger!It is a big bird, soaring freely in the sky. "It's a vulture."

Paganel said.

"Yes, the vulture!" repeated Glenarvan. "It's coming, it's coming, look!"

Everyone was a little confused by the words that Glenarvan said, and felt that their own heads seemed a little nervous.

Paganel watched the vulture from a distance as it flew closer and closer.

This is a powerful bird with a strong body, a huge wingspan, and is regarded as the king of the mountain.It can easily catch the cattle and throw them into the valley to die.

It mainly attacks sheep, horses and calves on the plains.

It is a breeze for it to fly to an altitude of 20000 meters.Even from that height, it can see the movements of small animals the size of rabbits and snakes on the ground.

What did the vulture flying over now find in this area?corpse?Robert's body?
The big bird flew closer and closer, hovering above it for a few weeks from time to time, and then descended sharply as if in free fall.

At a height of only about 200 meters above the ground, it began to hover again.

It has been seen to have a horizontal wingspan of at least 15 feet, and it hardly flaps when floating in the air, appearing so leisurely and confident.It is in stark contrast to those little birds and bugs who flap their wings countless times every second to avoid being thrown off.

At this time, the major and Wilson had quickly grabbed their guns with agility.But Glenarvan stopped them with a wave of his hand.

A quarter of a mile from the crowd, the large bird circled a high raised stone platform at an increasing speed, so fast that it made people dizzy to watch.

"There, right there..." Glenarvan called out, and then stopped suddenly.He simply exclaimed:

"If Robert is still alive... the vulture... shoot! shoot!"

While speaking, the vulture took a swooping posture, grabbed something from the platform, and slowly rose up.

Everyone exclaimed.It was Robert's corpse that was clutched under the vulture's iron claws!The body swayed and swayed from side to side... At this time, the vulture had flown directly above the crowd, that is, 150 feet high.

Obviously, it saw the crowd below, so it quickly drummed up the lift of its wings, trying to quickly grab the prey and fly away immediately.

"Ah, I'd rather fall down than be carried away by a vulture..." Glenarvan shouted.He took the gun from Wilson's hand and took aim.

However, his arms trembled badly, and his eyes were blurred. "I come!"

cried the major.

The vulture was three hundred feet away when the major took aim.Before the major pulled the trigger, there was a sudden gunshot in the valley!At the same time, the vulture's head drooped down, its wings were still stretched, and it fell down like a parachute.Still holding Robert in its claws, it fell to the bank. "Quick, quick!"

cried Glenarvan.They all forgot to ask if there was a reason for God's help to shoot, and rushed to the vulture desperately.

The vulture is dead.Its broad wings completely covered Robert.

They rushed forward quickly, ripping off the wings and claws of the vulture, and carried Robert's body out.

Glenarvan threw himself on the child recklessly!Suddenly, Glenarvan yelled loudly. Surprise and joy were intertwined at once, piercing the human spinal cord thoroughly and without hindrance: "Alive! He's still alive!" Everyone quickly took off Robert's shirt. He took off his coat and washed his face with cold water first.

At this moment Robert finally opened his eyes, and he murmured in a weak tone:
"Ah! You...sir...my father..." Glenarvan knelt beside the child, and burst into tears without hesitation.

This is really a miracle!

(End of this chapter)