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"And nothing more selfish," added the Major. "These only thought of themselves, and not at all of travelers." Everyone inclined to the opinion of McNabbs except Paganel, who congratulated himself on walking under shadeless trees, though all the time he was wiping the perspiration from his forehead.
"Indeed, I will never own anything so outrageous as that," replied Paganel. "They are tall," said Glenarvan. "I don't know that." "Are they little, then?" asked Lady Helena. "No one can affirm that they are." "About the average, then?" said McNabbs. "I don't know that either." "That's going a little too far," said Glenarvan. "Travelers who have seen them tell us."
"This fish belongs to a species that is found in all latitudes and in all seas. It is the 'balance-fish, or hammer-headed shark, if I am not much mistaken. But if your Lordship has no objections, and it would give the smallest pleasure to Lady Helena to see a novelty in the way of fishing, we'll soon haul up the monster and find out what it really is." "What do you say, McNabbs?
McNabbs was at first indifferent, but finding the noise continue, he listened; then his curiosity was aroused, and he put his ear to the ground; it sounded as if someone was scraping or hollowing out the ground outside. As soon as he was sure of it, he crept over to Glenarvan and John Mangles, and startling them from their melancholy thoughts, led them to the end of the hut.
"Here it is, my dear McNabbs. We shall go through the capital of Araucania, and cut the Cordilleras by the pass of Antuco, leaving the volcano on the south, and gliding gently down the mountain sides, past the Neuquem and the Rio Colorado on to the Pampas, till we reach the Sierra Tapalquen, from whence we shall see the frontier of the province of Buenos Ayres.
To hear his imploring tones, one might have thought him a criminal begging a respite. So the day passed on till it was almost noon. McNabbs hesitated now no longer, but, acting on the advice of the rest, told his cousin that start they must, for all their lives depended on prompt action. "Yes, yes!" replied Glenarvan. "Let us start, let us start!" But he spoke without looking at McNabbs.
"I am delighted to hear we come number four," said McNabbs. "That only proves you are insipid," retorted Paganel, with an air of disdain. "I am delighted to be insipid," was the Major's reply. "Well, it is humiliating enough," said the intractable Paganel. "The white man proclaimed himself chief of the human race; but Mr. Jaguar is of a different opinion it seems."
I hope we shall find it ready when we come back." He said this just as if it had been a walk to Tarbert or Loch Katrine they were going, and the steward bowed with perfect gravity in reply. "Are you coming with us, Major?" asked Lady Helena. "If you command me," replied McNabbs. "Oh!" said Lord Glenarvan; "the Major is absorbed in his cigar; "you mustn't tear him from it.
"Come," said Glenarvan, putting his gun on his shoulder. "No," said the Major. "It is a decoy to get us away from the wagon." "But if Mulrady has even now fallen beneath the blows of these rascals?" exclaimed Glenarvan, seizing McNabbs by the hand. "We shall know by to-morrow," said the Major, coolly, determined to prevent Glenarvan from taking a step which was equally rash and futile.
The luminous spores of the cryptograms shone in the darkness with intensity. The Major, who had no selfishness about him, was going to waken Paganel, that he might see this phenomenon with his own eyes, when something occurred which arrested him. This phosphorescent light illumined the distance half a mile, and McNabbs fancied he saw a shadow pass across the edge of it.
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