CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Mr Fogg and Party Cross the Pacific Ocean

When the pilot-boat came near Shanghai, the Yokohama steamer saw the signals from the Tankadere. The steamer saw the flag, and headed towards the little boat. Phineas Fogg, after paying the bill to John Busby, rewarded him with five hundred and fifty pounds more. With Aouda and Fix he boarded the steamer, and they started for Yokohama.

They reached their destination on the morning of the 14th of November. Phineas Fogg went to the Carnatic, where he learned that Passepartout had arrived the day before.

The San Francisco steamer was going to leave that evening, so they needed to find Passepartout quickly. Luckily they had gone to Mr Batulcar's theater. Phineas Fogg would never have recognized Passepartout in his strange clothes, but the servant recognized his master and was surprised enough to knock down the pyramid.

Aouda told Passepartout everything that had happened on the Tankadere, with one Mr Fix. Passepartout did not look surprised when he heard this name. He thought he should wait to tell his master about Fix.

The steamer belonged to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and was named the General Grant. She was a large steamer of two thousand five hundred tons. She was very fast. By making twelve miles an hour, she would cross the ocean in twenty-one days. Phineas Fogg was therefore justified in hoping that he would reach San Francisco by the 2nd of December, New York by the 11th, and London on the 20th—gaining several hours on the date of the 21st of December.

Nothing important happened on the voyage. Mr Fogg was as calm as ever. His young companion felt herself more and more attached to him. It was more than just thanks; his silent nature impressed her. Her emotions became very strong, but they had no effect on her protector.

Where was Fix at that moment?

He was actually on board the General Grant.

On reaching Yokohama, the detective left Mr Fogg and went to the English Consulate. At last he found the warrant of arrest. It had followed him from Bombay on the Carnatic. The warrant was now useless, though. Mr Fogg had left English ground.

"Well," thought Fix, "my warrant is not good here, but it will be in England. The thief wants to return to his own country, thinking he has escaped the police. Good! I will follow him across the Atlantic."

He went on board the General Grant, and was there when Mr Fogg and Aouda arrived. To his surprise, he recognized Passepartout. He hid in his room, and hoped Passepartout would not see him.

That very day, however, he met Passepartout face to face on the deck. The Frenchman did not say a word. He rushed Fix and grabbed him by the throat. Some nearby Americans were very amused, and began to bet on him. Passepartout gave Fix a perfect round of blows, which proved that French fighters are better than English.

When Passepartout finished, he felt much better. Fix got up, and coldly said, "Are you done?"

"For now, yes."

"Then let me have a word with you."

"But I—"

"In your master's interests. You have beaten me. Good, I expected it. Now, listen to me. Until now, I have been Mr Fogg's enemy. I am now in his game."

"Aha!" cried Passepartout; "you realize he is an honest man?"

"No," replied Fix coldly, "I think he is a thief. As long as Mr Fogg was on English ground, it was in my interest to stop him until my warrant of arrest arrived. I did everything I could. I sent the Bombay priests after him, I got you drunk at Hong Kong, and I made him miss the Yokohama steamer."

Passepartout listened, with closed fists.

"Now," said Fix, "Mr Fogg seems to be going back to England. Well, I will follow him there. But from now on I will try to help him. I've changed my game, because it's in my interest to change it. Your interest is the same as mine. Only in England will you learn whether you serve a criminal or an honest man."

Passepartout decided Fix spoke the truth.

"Are we friends?" asked the detective.

"Friends?—no," replied Passepartout; "but allies, maybe. At any sign of betrayal, however, I'll twist your neck off."

"Agreed," said the detective quietly.

Eleven days later, on the 3rd of December, the General Grant entered the bay of the Golden Gate, and reached San Francisco.

Mr Fogg had neither gained nor lost a single day.

(end of section)