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Chapter 22. The Lightning Bolts of Captain Nemo

           "Ashellisnotworththelifeofaman,"saidI.

           "Ah!thescoundrel!"criedConseil;"Iwouldratherhehadbrokenmyshoulder!"

           Conseilwasinearnest,butIwasnotofhisopinion.However,thesituationhadchangedsomeminutesbefore,andwehadnotperceived.AscoreofcanoessurroundedtheNautilus.Thesecanoes,scoopedoutofthetrunkofatree,long,narrow,welladaptedforspeed,werebalancedbymeansofalongbamboopole,whichfloatedonthewater.Theyweremanagedbyskilful,half-nakedpaddlers,andIwatchedtheiradvancewithsomeuneasiness.ItwasevidentthatthesePapuanshadalreadyhaddealingswiththeEuropeansandknewtheirships.Butthislongironcylinderanchoredinthebay,withoutmastsorchimneys,whatcouldtheythinkofit?Nothinggood,foratfirsttheykeptatarespectfuldistance.However,seeingitmotionless,bydegreestheytookcourage,andsoughttofamiliarisethemselveswithit.Nowthisfamiliaritywaspreciselywhatitwasnecessarytoavoid.Ourarms,whichwerenoiseless,couldonlyproduceamoderateeffectonthesavages,whohavelittlerespectforaughtbutblusteringthings.Thethunderboltwithoutthereverberationsofthunderwouldfrightenmanbutlittle,thoughthedangerliesinthelightning,notinthenoise.

           AtthismomentthecanoesapproachedtheNautilus,andashowerofarrowsalightedonher.

           Iwentdowntothesaloon,butfoundnoonethere.IventuredtoknockatthedoorthatopenedintotheCaptain’sroom."Comein,"wastheanswer.

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