“Oh, as for them,” said John, “they were drunk, and in the darkness I have no doubt they paid for their cowardice with their lives.”
“So much the worse for them and for us,” replied Paganel; “for the boat would have been very useful to us.”
“What would you have, Paganel? The raft will bring us to the shore,” said Glenarvan.
“The very thing I would fain avoid,” exclaimed the geographer.
“What! do you think another twenty miles after crossing the Pampas and Australia, can have any terrors for us, hardened as we are to fatigue?”
“My friend,” replied Paganel, “I do not call in question our courage nor the bravery of our friends. Twenty miles would be nothing in any other country than New Zealand. You cannot suspect me of faint-heartedness. I was the first to persuade you to cross America and Australia. But here the case is different. I repeat, anything is better than to venture into this treacherous country.”
“Anything is better, in my judgment,” said John Mangles, “than braving certain destruction on a stranded vessel.”
“What is there so formidable in New Zealand?” asked Glenarvan.
“The savages,” said Paganel.
“The savages!” repeated Glenarvan. “Can we not avoid them by keeping to the shore? But in any case what have we to fear? Surely, two resolute and well-armed Europeans need not give a thought to an attack by a handful of miserable beings.”