Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 7 The Mysterious Guest in Room 6
The Duncan bumped violently into the Atlantic Ocean, undergoing the first test after going to sea.Captain Mengel ordered the mainsail, schooner, and jib to be hoisted, so that the pitching was a little better, and the wind turned.

The spectacle of the sunrise captivates everyone on board.Looking up to the horizon, I saw the sun slowly rising from the sea, like a large gilded plate.The sails of the Duncan were shrouded in its golden light, and they moved smoothly through the sea like a fish.Everyone was intoxicated by this beautiful scene.

"It's so beautiful. I think it must be a fine day today, and I hope the wind will always follow us and carry the Duncan forward," said Mrs. Helen.

"Mungle, how is the boat running?" Sir asked.

"Very well, sir, you can see how even the trough is after the boat, which is a good proof that the machine is working well."

Menger replied, "I'm going to sing about it with an insider's eye. It's beautiful."

"The current speed is 17 knots. At this speed, it will take about 10 days to cross the equator, and it will take less than 5 weeks to round Cape Horn." The captain said excitedly, from the expression on his face. see.

At this time, the Sir turned his eyes to Miss Mary and asked, "How about it, Miss Mary, can you bear it on board?"

"No problem, sir, I got used to it quickly." "And what about little Robert?" "He's either in the engine room or on the mast, jumping up and down like a little monkey. I don't think he I know what seasickness is. Look, there he is!" Following the direction pointed by Captain Mengel, I saw little Burr hanging on the rigging of the 100-foot-high small topsail!

"No problem, ma'am; I can assure you that we shall meet a venerable captain in the near future, and then I shall be able to introduce Captain Grant to a young sailor!"

"May God hear you too, Mr. Captain," said Mary gratefully.His eyes filled with tears again.

"Son, it's as if everything is preordained! These days we go straight to our destination without any effort, and I believe that there is some kind of force in the dark that pulls and guides us."

"Madame, I once wanted to arrange a tour for you, and I think I can achieve that purpose this time. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone!" Sir Glenarvan said excitedly.

"Honey, you are really the best person in the world, and I think I am also the happiest woman in the world!"

Mrs. Helen said happily and sincerely. "Well, Miss Mary, what do you think of our Duncan?"

"I want to sing and praise it from an insider's perspective. It's so wonderful. I played on my father's boat when I was a child. Maybe my father may have wanted me to be a qualified sailor!"

"Hearing you praise the Duncan so much, I want to go below deck to see how our sailors live and work." Mrs. Helen said.

"They are very nice, just like at home, the Duncan is Macomb House, and the sea is Layang Lake."

said Sir Glenarvan with passion and excitement. "Okay, my dear, just follow me to visit your mansion!"

"Please, dear madam. But let me inform Aubinet first." Hearing the master's call, he ran immediately. "Aubine, we're going to go around before breakfast." I hope breakfast will be ready when I come back.Aubinet bowed respectfully and stepped back gently.

"You go too, Major?" "At this time, the major is already silent in the cloud of cigar smoke, and I can't bear to drag him back. Miss Mary, you may not know that the major is smoking all day long, even when he sleeps." , can really be called the smoking king."

Everyone went below the deck to visit, and McNabbs was smoking a pipe, looking at the neat trough behind the ship, thinking all the time.

When he came back to his senses, he suddenly found a stranger standing behind him!

For the first time, the usually calm Major McNabbs felt surprised because he had never seen this man before.

This is a thin and tall man, about 40 years old, with a wide forehead, a big nose, a big mouth and a big chin, and a pair of big glasses on his eyes; he wears a peaked cap and yellow leather shoes; He was carrying a bag full of notebooks and clips, and had a large telescope in his waist.

Through the lens, the lively eyes shone with wisdom, and he seemed to be a smart and cheerful person.

It can be seen from his expression that he is a very talkative person. Although he has not spoken yet, it may be seen from his expression that he is the kind of person who can talk eloquently, but is somewhat careless.

He circled Major McNabbs several times, intent on saying something.But the major could be seen smoking his cigarette motionlessly, and swallowed the words again.

This movement and stillness form a sharp contrast, and at the same time form a rather lovely picture.

It so happened that Aubinet went to the galley in the bow.Seeing the big man he had never seen before, he became inexplicable.

"I'm a passenger in Room 6." He said to himself. "Hello, friend. So what time is dinner?"

"Nine o'clock," replied Aubinette mechanically.

The man fumbled all over his body until he reached the ninth pocket, and finally he took out a watch.

"Oh, it's only 8 o'clock. There's still an hour before dinner time." Mrs. Helen and Miss Mary couldn't say a word, and they didn't know what happened. "I also want to ask, is the captain up? Where's the chief mate? He's sleeping too? Fortunately, the weather is good at this time, and the ship can move forward without anyone taking care of itself."

While they were talking, Captain Mengel came over. "This is the captain," Aubine said.

"Oh, it's a great honor to meet you, Captain Bulton! Please allow me to shake your hand. I wanted to shake your hand last night, but I didn't take the liberty of interrupting you as you were commanding the sail."

This confuses Captain Mengele, not only by seeing the stranger, but by what he is called.Menger looked back at Aubinet, then back at the stranger.

"Dear captain, we have already met. Please tell me, are you satisfied with the Scotia, which has complete material conditions and an exemplary captain?"

The captain finally opened his mouth and asked with a particularly surprised expression. "What? The Scotia?"

"Did you know? There is a traveling adventurer in Africa named Bulton. Are you and him in the same family? I really envy you."

"Sir, I am not his family, nor am I Captain Bulton." Captain Mengel corrected.But he was beginning to understand a little bit what was going on.

"Then, you must be Burnes, the first mate on the Scotia!" Captain Mengel was about to speak, when Sir Glenarvan, Lady Helen and Miss Mary all came up from the hold .The stranger exclaimed loudly: "Oh, there are men and women, it's wonderful, it's wonderful! Mr. Bowness, you have to introduce me..." Before Menger could speak, he said Say hello on your own.

He called Miss Mary "Madame," Lady Helene "Miss," and Sir Glenarvan "Sir."

"This is Sir Glenarvan." Menger corrected his address. "May I ask your surname?" asked Sir Glenarvan. "Me? I am Jacques Paganel, secretary of the Paris Geographic Society; Berlin Geographic Society, Bombay Geographic Society, Darmstadt Geographic Society, Leipzig Geographic Society, London Geographic Society, Petersburg Geographic Society, Vienna Geographic Society , New York Geographical Society and other societies; also an honorary member of the Royal Geographical Society of East India, who has studied geography in the house for 20 years, and this trip to India is a field trip to advance the previous career of geography. "

(End of this chapter)