During the night they had passed Camp Walbach, and entered Nebraska at eleven, passing Julesburg on the south branch of the Platte river. It was here that General Dodge inaugurated the Union Pacific road on the 23rd of October, 1867. Here two powerful locomotives with nine carriages full of guests stopped, three cheers were given, the Sioux and Pawnee Indians had a sham fight, fireworks were let off, and the first number of a paper called The Railway Pioneer was printed in a press carried in the train.
Fort MacPherson was passed at eight in the morning; they had still three hundred and fifty-seven miles to go to Omaha. At nine o'clock the train stopped at North Platte, a town built between the two arms of the river.
The hundred-and-first meridian was now passed.
Mr. Fogg and his partner had resumed their whist; none of them, not even the dummy, complained of the length of the journey. Fix had at first won several guineas which he now seemed about to lose, but he was not a less passionate player than Fogg. Fortune distinctly favoured that gentleman, and showered trumps and honours upon him.
On one occasion he was on the point of playing a spade, when a voice behind him said, "I should play a diamond."
The players all looked up, and beheld Colonel Proctor. He and Fogg recognised each other at the same moment.
"Oh, you are that Britisher, are you?" exclaimed the Colonel. "So you are going to play a spade?"
"Yes, and I play it too," replied Fogg coldly, as he threw down the ten.
"Well, I choose to have diamonds," said Proctor insolently. He made a movement as if to seize the card just played, adding, "You know nothing about whist."
"Perhaps I do, as well as other people," said Fogg, rising.