At all events, the detective thought he had found this means, for a few moments later he said to Phileas Fogg:
"These are long and slow hours that we pass thus on the railway."
"Indeed they are," replied the gentleman, "but they pass."
"On board the steamers," continued the detective, "you used to take a turn at whist?"
"Yes," replied Phileas Fogg, "but here it would be difficult. I have neither cards nor partners."
"Oh! as for the cards, we will find it easy to buy them. They are sold on all trains in America. As for partners, if, perchance, madame———"
"Certainly, sir," replied the young woman quickly, "I understand whist. That is part of the English education."
"And I," continued Fix, "have some pretensions to playing a good game. Now, with us three and a dummy———"
"As you please, sir," replied Phileas Fogg, delighted at resuming his favorite game, even on the railroad.
Passepartout was dispatched in search of the steward, and he soon returned with two complete decks of cards, counters, and a shelf covered with cloth. Nothing was wanting. The game commenced. Aouda understood whist well enough, and she even was complimented sometimes by the severe Phileas Fogg. As for the detective, he was simply an adept, and worthy of holding his head up with this gentleman.
"Now," said Passepartout to himself, "we will keep him. He will not budge any more!"
At eleven o'clock in the morning, the train had reached the dividing ridge of the waters of the two oceans. It was at Bridger Pass, at a height of seven thousand five hundred and twenty-four English feet above the level of the sea, one of the highest points touched by the profile of the route in this passage across the Rocky Mountains. After going about two hundred miles, the travelers finally found themselves on the vast plains extending as far as the Atlantic, and which nature made so propitious for laying a railroad.
On the slopes of the Atlantic basin already appeared the first streams, tributaries of the North Platte river. The entire northern and eastern horizon was covered by the
