Jules Verne

“ We have made our start for Europe, we shall get there, no matter what—”
“And how shall we?” reiterated John. “How? I should like to know.”
“How, that's the question,” answered Mr. Cascabel, scratching his forehead. “Of course, by giving performances along the road, we shall be able to get day by day what will land the Fair Rambler in New York. But, when there, no money left to pay for our passage, no boat to take us across! And without a boat, no possibility of crossing the sea except we swim! Now, I fancy that will be rather hard.”
“Very hard, boss,” replied Clovy, “unless we had fins.” ”

“ Thereupon Vermont and Gladiator were put to, and the wagon began its journey down through the pass of the Sierra.
This was but too easy a task alas! You can put on speed when you go downhill; but it was with heads hanging down and without a word our folks jogged down, save and except when a volley of curses broke forth from Cascabel.
At twelve o'clock in the day the Fair Rambler stopped in front of the farm. The two thieves had not returned. On hearing what had taken place the farmer flew into a passion in which sympathy for the show-people played not the slightest part. ”

“ And, now I think of it, as we shall have to go through Russia, where are held the fairs of Perm, Kazan and Nijni, that I so often hear of, we shall stop in those places, and I promise you the famous Cascabel family will gather fresh laurels there, and a fresh supply of cash, too!”
What objections can you make to a man when he has his answer for everything? ”

“ Robbed of two thousand dollars that had been earned at the cost of so much toil!
“What shall we do now?” inquired John.
“Do?” replied Mr. Cascabel, whose gnashing teeth seemed to grind his words as he spoke. “It is very simple!—Nay, it is most uncommonly simple! Without extra horses we can't possibly go on climbing up the pass. Well, I vote we go back to the farm! It may be, those ruffians are there!”
“Unless they did not go back!” suggested Clovy. ”

“ After that, we have the continent of Asia, which stretches along as far as Russia in Europe.”
“Show us that, John.”
And John took, in the atlas, the general map of Asia, which Mr. Cascabel examined attentively.
“Well! There is everything shaping itself as if to order,” said he; “so long as there are not too many wild countries in your Asia?” ”