Chapter 21 - Page 2

repaired the damage, which they
could easily do in a couple of days.

We set to work without losing a moment. The passengers were only too
glad to help Popof and the officials who had at their disposal a few
tools, including jacks, levers and hammers, and in three hours the
engine and tender were again on the line.

The most difficult business is over. With the engine behind we can
proceed at slow speed to Tchertchen. But what lost time! What delays!
And what recriminations from our German baron, what donnervetters and
teufels and other German expletives!

I have omitted to say that immediately after the dispersal of the
bandits we had in a body thanked Faruskiar. The hero received our
thanks with all the dignity of an Oriental.

"I only did my duty as general manager of the company," he replied,
with a truly noble modesty.

And then at his orders the Mongols had set to work, and I noticed that
they displayed indefatigable ardor, for which they earned our sincere
felicitations.

Meanwhile Faruskiar and Ghangir were often talking together in a
whisper, and from these interviews arose a proposition which none of us
expected.

"Guard," said Faruskiar, addressing Popof, "it is my opinion that we
had much better run on to Tcharkalyk than go back; it would suit the
passengers much better."

"Certainly, sir, it would be preferable," said Popof; "but the line is
broken between here and Tcharkalyk, and we cannot get through."

"Not at present, but we could get the cars through if we could
temporarily repair the line."

That was a proposal worth consideration, and we assembled to consider
it, Major Noltitz, Pan-Chao, Fulk Ephrinell, Caterna, the clergyman,
Baron Weissschnitzerdörfer, and a dozen others--all who understood
Russian.

Faruskiar spoke as follows:

"I have been looking at the portion of the line damaged by the band of
Ki-Tsang. Most of the sleepers are still in place. As to the rails, the
scoundrels have simply thrown them onto the sand, and by replacing them
end to end it would be easy to get the train over to the uninjured
track. It would not take a day to do this, and five hours afterward we
should be at Tcharkalyk."

Excellent notion, at once approved of by Popof, the driver, the
passengers, and particularly by the baron. The plan was possible, and
if there were a few rails useless, we could bring to the front those we
had already run over, and in this way get over the difficulty.

Evidently this Faruskiar is a man, he is our true chief, he is the
personage I was in want of, and I will sound his name over the entire
universe in all the trumpets of