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Paganel, triumphing in his pupil, immediately translated his replies to his companions, and exclaimed: "What an intelligent race! All my explanations would have been lost on nineteen in every twenty of the peasants in my own country." Glenarvan requested him to ask the Patagonian if he had heard of any foreigners who had fallen into the hands of the Indians of the Pampas.
Glenarvan, knowing his young wife's good sense, allowed her to act as she pleased. Mary Grant was to be present at the interview, for the influence of the young girl might be considerable, and Lady Helena would not lose any chance of success. For a whole hour the two ladies were closeted with the quartermaster, but nothing transpired about their interview.
I can affirm the fact by the mere taste, that this animal has come a great distance, and consequently the whole herd has." "You are certain of this?" asked Glenarvan. "Absolutely certain." "But what could have frightened the creatures so, and driven them from their haunts, when they ought to have been quietly sleeping?" "That's a question, my dear Glenarvan, I could not possibly answer.
This is the common practice on all ships when a shark is captured, but Lady Glenarvan declined to be present at such a disgusting exploration, and withdrew to the cabin again. The fish was still breathing; it measured ten feet in length, and weighed more than six hundred pounds.
As soon as Thalcave said the word AGUARA, Glenarvan knew that he meant the red wolf, for this is the name given to it by the Pampas Indians. This voracious animal, called by naturalists the Canis jubatus, is in shape like a large dog, and has the head of a fox. Its fur is a reddish-cinnamon color, and there is a black mane all down the back.
"Is the island inhabited then?" said Glenarvan. "By savages, evidently," replied Paganel. "But in that case, we cannot leave the quartermaster there." "No," replied the Major, "he would be too bad a gift even to bestow on savages." "We must find some other uninhabited island," said Glenarvan, who could not help smiling at the delicacy of McNabbs.
His face, already changed by death, was a dreadful spectacle. Glenarvan searched no further. Prudence forbade him to wander from the camp. He returned to the wagon, deeply absorbed by the critical position of affairs. "We must not think of sending another messenger to Melbourne," said he. "But we must," said John Mangles; "and I must try to pass where my sailor could not succeed."
"No, my Lord," replied Ayrton. "Will you tell me where the BRITANNIA was wrecked?" "No, neither the one nor the other." "Ayrton," said Glenarvan, in almost beseeching tones, "if you know where Harry Grant is, will you, at least, tell his poor children, who are waiting for you to speak the word?" Ayrton hesitated. His features contracted, and he muttered in a low voice, "I cannot, my Lord."
Something serious must have occurred to produce such an agitation. Perhaps some terrible accident. Glenarvan, followed by the rest, urged on his horse. In a few minutes he arrived at Camden Bridge and then he became aware of the cause of such an excitement. A fearful accident had occurred; not a collision, but a train had gone off the line, and then there had been a fall.
"You would certainly have done much better to have landed at Madeira, even though there had been no wine," said Glenarvan. Still the learned secretary was silent. "I should wait," said the Major, just as if he had said, "I should not wait." Paganel spoke again at length, and said: "My dear Glenarvan, where do you mean to touch next?" "At Concepcion." "Plague it!
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