Paganel’s Last Entanglement

           ONthe19thofMarch,elevendaysafterleavingtheisland,theDuncansightedtheAmericancoast,andnextdaydroppedanchorinthebayofTalcahuano.Theyhadcomebackagainafteravoyageoffivemonths,duringwhich,andkeepingstrictlyalongthe37thparallel,theyhadgoneroundtheworld.Thepassengersinthismemorableexpedition,unprecedentedintheannalsoftheTravelers’Club,hadvisitedChili,thePampas,theArgentineRepublic,theAtlantic,theislandofTristand’Acunha,theIndianOcean,AmsterdamIsland,Australia,NewZealand,IsleTabor,andthePacific.Theirsearchhadnotbeenfruitless,fortheywerebringingbackthesurvivorsoftheshipwreckedBritannia.

           NotoneofthebraveScotswhosetoutatthesummonsoftheirchief,butcouldanswertotheirnames;allwerereturningtotheiroldScotia.

           AssoonastheDuncanhadre-provisioned,shesailedalongthecoastofPatagonia,doubledCapeHorn,andmadeaswiftrunuptheAtlanticOcean.Novoyagecouldbemoredevoidofincident.Theyachtwassimplycarryinghomeacargoofhappiness.Therewasnosecretnowonboard,notevenJohnMangles’sattachmenttoMaryGrant.

           Yes,therewasonemysterystill,whichgreatlyexcitedMcNabbs’scuriosity.WhywasitthatPaganelremainedalwayshermeticallyfastenedupinhisclothes,withabigcomforterroundhisthroatanduptohisveryears?TheMajorwasburningwithdesiretoknowthereasonofthissingularfashion.Butinspiteofinterrogations,allusions,andsuspicionsonthepartofMcNabbs,Paganelwouldnotunbutton.