`My gas-burner, which I forgot to turn off, and which is at this moment burning - at my expense. I have calculated, monsieur, that I lose two shillings every four and twenty hours, exactly sixpence more than I earn; and you will understand that the longer our journey--'

Did Fix pay any attention to Passepartout's trouble about the gas? It is not probable. He was not listening, but was cogitating a project. Passepartout and he had now reached the shop, where Fix left his companion to make his purchases, after recommending him not to miss the steamer, and hurried back to the consulate. Now that he was fully convinced, Fix had quite recovered his equanimity.

`Consul,' said he, `I have no longer any doubt. I have spotted my man. He passes himself off as an odd stick, who is going round the world in eighty days.

`Then he's a sharp fellow,' returned the consul, and counts on returning to London after putting the police of the two continents off his track.'

`We'll see about that,' replied Fix.

`But are you not mistaken?'

`I am not mistaken.'

`Why was this robber so anxious to prove, by the visa, that he had passed through Suez?'

`Why? I have no idea; but listen to me.'

He reported in a few words the most important parts of his conversation with Passepartout.

`In short,' said the consul, `appearances are wholly against this man. And what are you going to do?'

`Send a despatch to London for a warrant of arrest to be despatched instantly to Bombay, take passage on board the "Mongolia", follow my rogue to India, and there, on English ground, arrest him politely, with my warrant in my hand, and my hand on his shoulder.'

Having uttered these words with a cool, careless air, the detective took leave of the consul, and repaired to the telegraph office, whence he sent the despatch which we have seen to the London police office. A quarter of an hour later found Fix, with a small bag in his hand, proceeding on board the `Mongolia'; and ere many moments longer, the noble steamer rode out at full steam upon the waters of the Red Sea.