Lakhasly

Episode 7: To 'the Wild West'
It was seven in the morning when Mr Fogg, Aouda and Passepartout stepped off the
-General Grant onto the land of America. The first train to New York did not leave until six in the evening, so they went to a hotel near there to eat breakfast.
'Sir, I have heard that Sioux Indians have already attacked some trains this winter, said Passepartout to Mr Fogg, do you want me to buy some guns to take with us on the train?'
Mr Fogg gave Passepartout some money for the guns, and then he went with Aouda to see the Californian capital. They were walking near the hotel when Mr Fix suddenly appeared. He seemed amazed to see them and said, What? Have we just been across the Pacific together and not met on the ship?'
Mr Fogg politely invited Mr Fix to come and look round the city with them. Mr Fix happily went with them. In the afternoon they returned to the hotel to meet Passepartout and then all four of them went to the railway station together. The train left on time and started its long journey east across America. The train route took them through dangerous country that was full of Indians and wild animals. This trip usually took seven days and so Phileas Fogg planned to be in New York to catch a ship across the Atlantic Ocean on 11th December. The passengers ate and slept on the train and Mr Fogg and Aouda played cards to pass the time.
It was snowing a lot, but the train still travelled easily over the Sierra Nevada mountains and through the state of Utah and into Wyoming. But as they were travelling across Nebraska, they heard the sound of guns outside the train. Passepartout looked out of the window and saw that a lot of Sioux Indians were attacking the train! They were riding horses and some were climbing onto the carriages. Many had guns and they were shooting. One of the Indians attacked the driver. The train was out of control and went even faster than before. The passengers on the train started to use their guns to fight the Sioux. Aouda was braver than the other women and shot at the Indians through the broken windows.
Fort Kearney station was now less than two miles ahead of them. There were lots of soldiers there who could help them. The conductor of the train shouted that someone had to stop the train before it went past the fort into open country. 'We will stop it, said Phileas Fogg, but Passepartout pushed past him towards the front of their carriage and said, 'Stay here, Sir. I will go. Passepartout first climbed out of the carriage and then secretly climbed under the other carriages towards the front of the train. When he finally got to the front, he pulled a metal bar as hard as he could. The engine then came away from the rest of the train. The carriages were free and started to slow down, but the engine went even faster on its own. The carriages finally stopped close to Fort Kearney station and the soldiers at the fort came running to the train when they heard the guns. When the Indians saw the soldiers coming they ran away from the train and disappeared to the south.
When everything was calmer the soldiers counted everyone on the train and realised that the brave Frenchman and two others were gone. Many of the other passengers were hurt, but no one was dead.
'I will find him, dead or alive, Phileas Fogg said quietly to Aouda. Aouda knew that he was serious. She knew that nothing could stop him from trying to rescue Passepartout.