Startled by the sound of gunfire, the soldiers at Fort Kearney hurried to the train.
The Indians quickly gave up the fight and fled.
As the Indians galloped away, the passengers gathered on the station platform.
Some of the passengers were wounded, but Aouda was safe and unharmed.
Phileas Fogg had not received a scratch, and Fix was only slightly wounded on his arm.
They had all been lucky. Colonel Proctor was the person most gravely injured, having been shot through the thigh.
It was soon discovered, however, that three passengers were missing, including the brave Frenchman, Passepartout.
The passengers looked around. The clouds were low and snow had begun to fall in earnest.
The windows of the train were broken, and blood stained the dirt around the tracks. Aouda's face was wet with tears.
She did not know if Passepartout was dead or alive.
Mr. Fogg, with folded arms, remained motionless. He had a serious decision to make.
Aouda looked at him without speaking, and he understood her look.
"I will find him, living or dead," he told her quietly.
"Ah, Mr. Fogg!" Aouda cried, holding his hands.
"I hope it will be living," he added. "But we must not lose a moment."
With this resolution, Phileas Fogg had decided to sacrifice his fortune.
The delay of a single day would make him miss the steamer at New York and lose his wager.
But his thought was, "It is my duty."
Mr. Fogg approached the commanding officer of the fort and said, "Sir, three passengers have disappeared."
"Dead?" asked the captain.
"Dead or prisoners, it is uncertain. Do you plan to pursue the Indians?
The lives of three men are in question," said Mr. Fogg.
"Can I risk the lives of fifty men to save three?" the officer asked.
"I don't know whether you can, sir, but you should!" said Mr. Fogg.
"Nobody here has the right to teach me my duty!" said the captain.
"Fine," said Mr. Fogg. "Then I will go alone."
Upon hearing this, Fix exclaimed, "You, sir! All alone in pursuit of the Indians?"
"I will not leave these men to die. I will go," said Mr. Fogg.
"You are a brave man, sir," declared the captain. "You will not go alone."
Turning to his soldiers, he asked for thirty volunteers.
The whole company stepped forward at once.
The captain selected thirty and chose an experienced sergeant to lead them.
Mr. Fogg then turned to Fix and said, "I wish to ask you a favor.
Please remain with Aouda until I return. In case anything should happen to me . . ."
Fix's face went pale. Separate himself from the man he had followed so closely for so long?
Let Mr. Fogg wander the desert chasing Indians? How could he?
Fix looked at Mr. Fogg. The gentleman's gaze was calm and frank.
Fix lowered his eyes and said, "I will stay."
A few moments later, Mr. Fogg pressed Aouda's hand.
He handed her his precious carpetbag and went off with the sergeant and his squad to mount their horses.
Just before they rode off, Mr. Fogg faced the soldiers and said,
"My friends, I will divide five-thousand dollars among you if we save the prisoners."
It was then a little past noon.
Aouda retired to the waiting room, where she sat alone, thinking of the generosity and tranquil courage of Phileas Fogg.
Fix did not have the same thoughts, however, and could scarcely conceal his agitation.
"I have been an idiot—an idiot to let him go alone!
I have let him out of my sight!" he said to himself.
He walked feverishly up and down the platform, but after a while he regained his outward composure.
The hours crept by slowly. Aouda was paralyzed with the fear that Mr. Fogg would never return and that she would be alone in the world once again.
Toward two o'clock that afternoon, long whistles were heard approaching from the east.
It was the train's runaway engine, which had continued down the rails until the engineer regained consciousness and reversed its course.
Most of the passengers were happy to see the engine resume its place at the head of the train. Now they could continue their journey.
But Aouda desperately pleaded with the engineer to wait for Mr. Fogg and the other missing passengers.
"I cannot interrupt the trip," replied the engineer. "We are already three hours behind."
"And when will another train pass here from San Francisco?" she asked.
"Tomorrow evening, madam."
"Well then, I will wait," said Aouda.
"I will remain with her," said Mr. Fix.
"I will make sure no harm comes to her while we wait."
The engineer then boarded the train, blew a farewell whistle, and the train slowly moved off across the snowy plain.
Didn't anybody hear me the first time? I'm still here, captured by Indians.
Okay, I'll yell louder. Help! Help! Somebody, help me!
The Indians startled me, but it's not at all surprising that our train was attacked because we are traveling across America during the Indian Wars.
These are violent conflicts between Native American tribes and American settlers.
I am told that the Indian Wars are occurring because white Americans have taken over Native American land
and broken special agreements called treaties.
Many Native American leaders, or chiefs, are becoming known for their bravery and intelligence.
I have heard stories about two chiefs in particular—Sitting Bull and Red Cloud—who are leading efforts against the white men.
We'll see how these wars turn out . . . I hope the violence ends soon.
In the meantime . . . Help me!