Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 62

Everyone on board was a little disappointed.All hope had been pinned on Ayrton, but now there was no clue, and everyone's hope was lost again.

Will the Duncan still find the Britannia?It moved forward silently, the most important thing right now was to find a deserted island and leave this villain there.

Have!Right on this 37th parallel, Maria Theresa, a tiny isolated island in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, is too insignificant to be mentioned.It is 3500 nautical miles from the Americas and 1500 nautical miles from New Zealand.This is a small island that no one cares about, and it seems to be forgotten by the world.

Someone told Ayrton about this wild place, and he obliged.So the Duncan sailed to Maria Theresa Island.Two days later, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the watchman reported that he had seen Maria Theresa Island, which was very low, like a large whale floating on the ocean. 5 o'clock.There are still 30 nautical miles away from the island.John saw that there seemed to be a puff of smoke floating on the island.

"Could it be a volcano?" he expressed his suspicions to Paganel.The geographer holding a telescope observed the island and replied: "Not sure. We know very little about this Maria Theresa! If it protrudes from the sea floor, it is probably a volcanic island." Linafan then asked: "You said that this small island was erupted by a volcano? Will it disappear after another eruption?"

Paganel replied solemnly: "That's not true. As far as I know, this small island has a history of hundreds of years. It will never be like Yuria Island, which emerges from the Mediterranean Sea in a few months. retracted again."

After Glenarvan answered, he asked John again, "Say, can we reach the island before dark?"

"No. Your Excellency, this area is not a route, and the sky is dark, so it is easy to be in danger. We can only circle here slowly, and wait for the dawn tomorrow morning to put down the boat and go to the island."

8pm.The distance between the Duncan and the island was only 5 nautical miles.

9:[-].A group of red flames suddenly radiated from the top of the island, shining rapidly.

"This is really a volcano." Paganel concluded after careful observation.John questioned: "No way. If it's a volcano, there must be a sound, right? Besides, we're so close to it, and it's still gaining the upper hand." Hearing what John said, Paganel also changed his mind: "You That's right! Makes sense. Volcanic eruptions don't go silent. And, look! It's still flickering, kind of like a lighthouse."

John said again: "Lighthouse? There are only lighthouses on the coast! It's just a small island in the Pacific Ocean!"

Speaking of which.Suddenly he exclaimed: "Look, there's another fire, on the sand! Oh! It's shaking! Oh, it's gone there again!"

John is right.Another fire was added to the island, and the fire flickered and danced flickeringly.

"It seems that there are people on the island?" Glenarvan said to himself. "There are natives!" Paganel replied smugly. "Then we can't throw this guy here."

The major interrupted: "That's right! This guy is not worthy of being food for the natives!"

"Then let's go ahead and find another deserted island," Glenarvan said to McNabbs with a smile, "I promised Ayrton that it would be safe, how could we let it be dry food?"

"Oh, everyone must pay attention, and don't be careless." Paganel said solemnly. "The New Zealanders are very barbaric. They deliberately light torches to lure people on board, just like the Cornish people of old. I see, this little boy The natives on the island are also tempting us."

"Turn around!" John commanded the sailor at the helm, "When the sun rises tomorrow, the truth will be revealed!"

11 o'clock at night.Everything is immersed in darkness.Only a few sailors were on duty on deck, and the helmsman in the stern was watching the tiller.

Mary and Robert went up to the roof of the cabin.Holding on to the railing, he looked at the sea with a heavy heart.The waves at the ship's strings rolled silently in the dark night.

At this moment, both siblings are thinking about their poor father.Is dad still alive?It's been so long, and there is no news at all!Is everything we do in vain?Why don't you just stop looking?Do not!How can we live without Dad?If we can't find Dad, what's the point of us being alive?

Yes, without the care of Sir Glenarvan and Mrs. Helen, we would have... my younger brother became very sensible. Like an adult, he tightly held his sister's hand and encouraged him: "Mary, please Don't be dejected! Do you still remember what Dad said?——"Courage equals everything!" Dad's courage is so admirable! We are his children, so we should have this kind of courage! … Sister, don't worry about me, I've grown up, let me help you!"

"Oh, good brother! Robert," sighed Mary. "I'll tell you something, but don't be angry when you hear it..."

"Don't be angry! Good brother!"

"Can you promise me?"

"Promise you what?" Mary was a little alarmed. "Sister, I want to be a sailor..."

"Really? Are you kidding me?" My sister couldn't help shouting out, she shook her brother's hand in surprise and asked.

"Really! I'm not joking. I've made up my mind. I want to sail the sea like my father and Captain John. Be a good seaman! Mary, my good sister! You should believe and know Captain John better than I do." ?He said he could make me the greatest and greatest sailor."

"Yes, and he is still a person who will not give up until he achieves his goal. He will continue to look for our father with me! Sister, please promise me! If we say that our sisters run away, our father will definitely spare no effort. We have to get us back too; now that our father is gone, we have to desperately find him back! At least, at the very least, as a son, I have to go all out to find my father, even if it takes my whole life, I am willing too!"

"Dear sister! Don't you miss Daddy? That's the best and best Daddy in the world!"

"Yes! He is our best and best father!" Mary was moved, "I am the most proud father! Robert, you should be proud of having such a father! He is a great man, for the nation and the country Fighting for glory, even though he was killed..."

"Do you think Mr. John thinks the same way?" She seemed to be asking herself and her brother. "He thinks so too!" replied Robert firmly. "He is a real man, and he will never lie to us! So I will be a seaman like him, and go to find papa with him! You promise me." !"

"I promise you I promise you," Mary murmured.At this time, the siblings gradually calmed down in the night, but their hearts were still ups and downs, and the wings of fantasy were rolling in their minds, like the future in a dream.

The boat floated on the long sea.The waves hit one after another and scattered one after another, and then turned back again, expressing their nostalgia for the propeller.As a result, many sporadic brilliance flashed flickeringly... and at this moment, a wonderful hallucination appeared!A seemingly vague force has aroused the attention of the siblings. Could this be a dream?Is this hallucination?

From under the side of the ship, from among the waves, came the voices of shouting one after another.Low, desolate and anxious, people can't help but tremble when they hear it.

"Help! Help—" It was really a person calling for help!
Robert said to his sister in amazement: "Didn't you hear? Didn't you hear?"

The bewildered siblings hurriedly held on to the railing, stretched their necks and looked down, trying to find out, but there were only waves on the sea in the night.They can't see anything.

Suddenly, Mary turned her head with a pale face and said, "Robert, I also seem to hear someone shouting, just now...we couldn't be in a dream, right? Oh..."

The hearts of the siblings jumped: "It's Dad! It's Dad!..." Mary's eyes darkened and she fainted in her brother's arms.

When Robert saw his sister fainted, he exclaimed: "Sister! Help! Dad! Help!"

The sailor who was watching the rudder was the first to run, and he quickly stretched out his hand to support Miss Mary.Immediately afterwards, the staff on duty also rushed over.None of them knew what was going on.

At this time, John, Mrs. Helen and Glenarvan were also awakened, and hurried to the roof of the cabin. "My sister is dying! Ah... my father is there!" Robert screamed in despair, and everyone thought the boy was talking nonsense.

"Really! Really!" he shouted at the top of his voice. "My father was there! I did hear him! Mary heard it too!"

Mary opened her eyes at once, and cried out at the top of her voice, "My father! My father's there! There!" she cried, and jumped up and was about to jump into the sea.

"Sir! Ma'am!" she cried after being stopped, "my papa, there! I, I'm sure I heard him, calling for help! He's going to be drowned..." Out of excitement, Mary fainted again, and her whole body was convulsed.

Everyone hurriedly carried her into the room, and Mrs. Helen quickly followed her to wait for her.

Robert in the cabin was still screaming: "Papa! My papa is there! Ah! I'm telling the truth, sir!"

Everyone present did not believe that the shouts of the two children were true.Everyone knew that the two of them said that because they missed their father so much that they were almost obsessed.

Glenarvan was the only exception. He gently stroked Robert's hand and asked kindly: "Did you really hear Papa's cry? Don't be afraid, boy, tell me."

"Really! Sir, I assure God, papa was crying out for help, for help!"

"Can you hear that it was indeed Dad calling?" "How can you hear it wrong? Sir, it is absolutely true, it is my dad! If you don't believe me, you can ask my sister, she heard it too, it is my dad's voice. Do you think , even if I'm wrong, she can't be wrong! Please, let the boat go and save my father!"

After hearing this, Glenarvan was a little dubious, so he called the sailor who was watching the helm: "Hawkins, were you there just now?"

"Here, Your Excellency." "Did you hear the shouting then? Did you see any shouting?" "No."

"It seems that you did hear wrong, Robert." "No! If his father was shouting, he wouldn't have missed it!" Robert still insisted, "I heard it right, I'm sure That's my father! Sir, really! Really!..." Robert was obviously incoherent.In desperation, he couldn't even cry.He looked pale and passed out on the spot.

Glenarvan hurriedly asked someone to carry him back to the room, and he fell asleep on the bed like this.

"This pair of sisters and brothers who are in trouble are really pitiful! Fate seems to be a little unfair to them!" John said with infinite emotion.

"Sigh, grief has tormented them a bit confused, and both sisters and sons have hallucinations..." Glenarvan also echoed.

"Both sisters have hallucinations?" Paganel was suspicious, "Isn't it possible? It doesn't conform to scientific laws!"

The geographer listened carefully to all the movement on the sea, but heard nothing; then he waved his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.I saw him tilting his head sideways and stretching his neck to listen quietly to the sound under the boat.Still nothing to doubt!So, he straightened up and shouted twice, but there was no answer.

"What the hell! Is it true that sincerity is true? Can human emotion really move God?..." Paganel returned to the room puzzled.

The next day was March 3th.8 am.It was just dawn, and everyone was on deck.Because there is no one who is not thinking about the small island ahead, especially Mary and Robert.

All the binoculars looked at the island and everything on it.At this time, the distance between the big ship and the small island was only 1 nautical mile.The boat was sailing around the island, and at that moment everything on the island came into view.Robert shouted and told the people that he had seen two men running on the island, while another was waving the flag. "Yes! It's the Union Jack!" John put down his binoculars and said with certainty. "That's right!" Paganel also yelled, and seemed to be cheering for Robert. "Sir, ah," even Robert's voice trembled. "Oh, sir! If you don't put down the boat, I'll jump in and swim over by myself! I beg you! Let me go to this island first!" But no one answered.

Because all the people present were stunned by what they saw: there were three people on the island, and they were three victims, and they were also three British people!This is real!

At this moment, everyone remembered what happened last night. The siblings had hallucinations at the same time, and they heard shouts...it seems that the shouts were real!it is true!

However, this will never be their father's cry!No way!That's just daydreaming!
Thinking of this, everyone began to pity the two children again-they must be disappointed!pitiful!They must have passed out again.

Then don't let them go ashore.But no one came out to stop them.Yes, who has the heart to stop them?

Glenarvan had to issue an order: "Let go of the boat!" Mary, Robert, Glenarvan, John, and Paganel quickly got into the boat. The six sailors rowed the boat fast with all their strength.The island is right in front of you!

Mary exclaimed, "It's my father!" Sure enough, there were three people standing side by side on the island, and the tallest and burly one in the middle was Captain Grant!When the captain heard his daughter's exclamation, his heart suddenly filled with infinite joy.

He stretched out his arms, but fell down with a bang.

(End of this chapter)