"All right," replied Mr. Fogg; "I will stop at Plum Creek." "I guess you will stay there altogether," replied the American, with unparalleled insolence. "Who knows?" replied Mr. Fogg, entering the car as coolly as ever, and commenced to reassure Mrs. Aouda, by telling her that braggarts need never be feared. He then asked Fix to be his second in the approaching duel, which Fix could not well refuse to be; and then Phileas Fogg sat down quietly and resumed his whist, without betraying the least emotion. At eleven o'clock the whistle of the engine announced their approach to Plum Creek. Mr. Fogg got up, and followed by Fix and Passe-partout, carrying a brace of revolvers, went out upon the platform. Mrs. Aouda remained in the car, as pale as death. At that moment the door of the next car opened, and Colonel Proctor appeared, followed by his second, a Yankee of the same stamp as himself. They were about to descend when the guard ran up and said, "You cannot get out, gentlemen." "Why not?" demanded the Colonel. "We are twenty minutes late, and cannot stop." "But I am going to fight a duel with this gentleman." "I am very sorry," said the guard, "but we must be off at once; there is the bell ringing." As he was speaking the train started. "I am really extremely grieved, gentlemen," said the guard, "and under any other circumstances I should have been able to have obliged you. But though you cannot stop to fight, there is nothing to prevent your doing so as you go along." "Perhaps that would not suit that gentleman," said the Colonel in a jeering tone. "It will suit me quite well," replied Phileas Fogg. "Well, we are actually in America, I see," thought Passe-partout; "and the guard is a gentleman of the highest standing." The two adversaries, their seconds, and the guard passed down to the rear of the train. The last car had only about a dozen passengers in it, and the conductor asked them if they would mind moving, as the two gentlemen had a little affair of honour to settle. The passengers were very glad to oblige the gentlemen, and they retired accordingly. The car, about fifty feet long, was very suitable for the purpose. The combatants could advance towards one another between the seats, and fire at their leisure. Never had there been a duel more easy to arrange. Mr. Fogg and Colonel Proctor, each carrying a six-barrelled revolver, entered the car. Their seconds, having locked them in, withdrew to the platform. The duellists were to begin to fire at the first whistle of the engine, then, after a lapse of two minutes, what remained of the two gentlemen would be taken from the car. Nothing could be easier. It was even so simple, that Fix and Passe-partout could hear their hearts beating as they listened.