Around the World in 100 Days Read Online Free Page A

don’t mean Johnny Shaugnessey?”
    Harry nodded enthusiastically. “My friend is a genius at this sort of thing.”
    â€œThe boy who was kicked in the head by a horse?” said Mr. Flanagan, the brewer. “I’d hardly call him a genius .”
    â€œI know, I know,” said Harry. “When he’s dealing with people he’s slow and awkward. But when it comes to machines he has a . . . a sort of instinct .”
    Flanagan laughed. “Instinct? I thought that was the province of animals.”
    â€œWhatever you call it,” said Harry impatiently, “he knows how to build things. When we’ve got the kinks worked out, this motorcar will be able to go anywhere. Why, if I wanted to, I daresay I could drive her around the world.”
    For a moment there was dead silence in the room. “Well, now,” said Hardiman, the railroad man. “That’s a wildly extravagant statement. You wouldn’t care to retract that, would you?”
    Harry hesitated. Perhaps it had been a grandiose claim. But he didn’t like the condescending tone of these men, the way they made fun of Johnny and of the machine to which the two of them had devoted hundreds of hours of greasy, backbreaking, knuckle-skinning work.
    He looked Hardiman in the eye. “No, sir,” he said. “I am confident that she would be up to the task.”
    â€œReally?” said the railroad man. “Just how confident are you?”
    â€œWhat do you mean, sir?”
    â€œI mean, would you be willing to bet money on it?”
    â€œCertainly.”
    â€œHow much?”
    â€œWhatever sum you propose.”
    â€œHow does two thousand pounds strike you?”
    The truth was, it struck him almost dumb; though it might seem a reasonable wager to the president of a railroad, for him it was a huge one—roughly ten times the amount he had spent building the Flash . But his pride wouldn’t let him back down. He bowed slightly. “Two thousand it is.”
    With a self-satisfied smirk, Hardiman turned to the other members. “Perhaps some of you gentlemen would like to propose wagers of your own?”
    â€œNot I,” said Dr. Doyle. “A poor physician and struggling author can’t afford such immoderate gestures. And frankly, Harry, I’m not sure that you should be—”
    â€œCount me in,” interrupted Flanagan, eagerly. “I have another two thousand that says you’ll never make it.”
    â€œIf the boy is willing,” said Sullivan, “I’m in for an equal amount.”
    â€œThe more you gentlemen wager, the more I stand to win,” said Harry staunchly. Though six thousand pounds was a staggering sum, his confidence in the car and in himself remained firm.
    â€œExcellent!” Hardiman rubbed his hands together. “Shall we shake on it, then?”
    â€œOne moment,” said Sullivan. “Perhaps we should set some sort of parameters, here. After all, if we give him an unlimited amount of time, of course he can do it. He could rebuild the car as many times as necessary. That wouldn’t prove anything.”
    Harry did a quick series of calculations in his head. He knew from repeatedly tracing the route of his father’s famous journey that the distance around the world was roughly 25,000 miles. He could count on the Flash to average at least 25 miles per hour. If he drove ten hours each day, that was 250 miles per day. Two hundred and fifty divided into 25,000 was: “One hundred days,” he said.
    â€œI beg your pardon?” said Sullivan.
    â€œDoes one hundred days sound like a fair allowance of time?”
    The men glanced at one another. “You really think that’s enough?” said Flanagan.
    â€œDon’t argue with the lad,” said Hardiman. “If he says he can do it that quickly, let him prove it. When will you start?”
    â€œWithin the week.”
    â€œExcellent!”