CHAPTER 24 (PART - A)


The rest of the train ride was almost uneventful. The young couple sat next to each other snuggling and occasionally kissing gently. Haddock kept rolling his eyes in annoyance as Tintin had Snowy and Cocoa sitting right next to him petting them both. First the young couple was just holding hands and giving each other affectionate pecks on the cheek every couple minutes. Then they scooted closer together. Every so often Cocoa and Snowy would bark distracting the young couple getting giggling glances from the couple saying ‘how cute’. Haddock looked at Tintin and then the couple who was too engaged with each other to notice the crude stares Haddock shot them. Tintin only smiled blushing a little trying not to stare still thinking it was a bit unclassy to do any kind of passionate kissing in front of strangers or friends. Haddock had his arms folded with his pipe in his mouth smoking heavily while glaring.

Haddock began clearing his throat as the young couple was now kissing mouth to mouth. Tintin assessed their age, most likely between seventeen and twenty. Tintin scanned their hands as they were embracing across from him and noticed no engagement rings. Haddock cleared his throat again, this time louder than before. When he saw they seemed to be ignoring him, he then inhaled a large huff of smoke and blew it their way. The smoke was abundant as the young woman finally let go to cough. She finally looked up to notice the dirty stares Haddock was giving her and how Tintin shook his head disapprovingly.
She quickly turned around as her boyfriend went to reach for her again. “Stop, not now…” she whispered.

The young man opened his eyes feeling Haddock’s piercing dirty look while he was smoking his pipe and stroking his beard.
“Blisterin’ Barnacles! You’d better be glad she’s not my daughter!” Haddock finally spoke up.
The young man sat back in his seat too afraid to respond back as the captain’s icy stare completely intimidated him.
“Young people these days!” Haddock huffed.

The young man glanced over to Tintin who only shook his head unsympathetically, and the young man hung his head silently the last few minutes of the ride. The young couple got up quickly and the young man quickly ran past Haddock afraid that he may do something to him. Tintin almost laughed out loud noticing how the boy was scared of his captain.

“Maybe that’ll teach him a lesson eh Tintin?” Haddock smiled.
“Without a doubt captain” Tintin smiled back. Cocoa and Snowy began barking boisterously as they collected their luggage getting off the train at the Moulinsart station.

“It feels good to be back” Tintin took a deep breath.
“Eh landlubber? Now if we can just get us a cab we’ll be doing quite fine” Haddock said as they walked near the entrance to the station to use the payphone then quickly put it down nodding.
“What’s wrong captain?” Tintin asked.
“The detectives told us not to call the manor or any methods using telephone to communicate” Haddock explained.
“Yea, that’s right… it’s about a twenty minute walk otherwise…” Tintin shrugged.
Haddock looked at the phone then looked at the road unable to decide what to do.

“Hmmm…” the captain thought annoyed not really feeling like walking until a familiar voice pierced his thinking.
“Why Captain Haddock! Tintin!” the voice shouted.
Haddock cringed at the sound of the voice as Tintin already saw who it was.
“Hello Jolyon Wagg! How are you doing today?” Tintin greeted.
“I’d almost rather walk” Haddock muttered under his breath.
“What are all of you doing out here?” Jolyon asked curiously.
“We just got back from holiday in Antwerp” Tintin went up to shake his hand.
“So you’re just getting back?” he smiled with a flash in his eye.
“That’s right” Tintin smiled as Haddock slowly made his way over as Jolyon.
“Captain Haddock, it’s so good to see you again” Jolyon said grabbing the captain’s hand as he walked by the car window.
“Yea…you too…” Haddock grunted as Tintin gave him a slight bump motioning to the car.

“Oh! Yea Jolyon, it really is good to see you too! So where you been hiding you loquacious babbler?” Haddock smiled playing the part as the comment was lost on Wagg.

“Oh well you know, an upstanding salesman such as myself just has so much to do... I’m actually on my way to go meet up with a client…so where the two of you off to?” Jolyon asked joyfully to see the captain react more positively to him than normal he thought.

“Well…we were on our way home…” Haddock alluded straight to the fact that they needed a ride home.

“Well of course Captain! I wouldn’t just leave my good old friends standing on the side of the road! Get on in!” Jolyon said jovially.
“Good thinking Tintin!” Haddock whispered as they were getting in.
“It’s only a five minute ride to the house” Haddock thought.
Tintin, Snowy, and Cocoa jumped in the back while Haddock took the front seat.
“So what activities were you doing in Antwerp Captain?” Jolyon asked with interest.

“Ah…you know, drinking, fishing, and playing chess and cards…the usual” Haddock just began spouting off.
“Did you have a good time?” Jolyon continued his line of questions.

Tintin was waiting for the introductory friendly small talk to end and for Jolyon the salesman to come out and start his solicitous speech of sales pitches. The skies were starting to get a bit cloudy as they continued toward Marlinspike Hall. “One minute down four to go…” Haddock thought.

“Oh speaking captain… have you thought about switching your insurance policy on Marlinspike Hall?” Jolyon said attacking the captain with his sales pitch.
“Blisterin’ Blabberin’ Blue Barnacales! I knew it was too good to be true!” Haddock thought.
“Well to be honest Jolyon…” Haddock was about to respond until Jolyon cut him off with another offer.
“Are you and Ms. Bianca Castafiore still planning on getting married? Cause if so you need life insurance policies for each other…” he asked out of the blue.
“Billions of Blisterin’ Brilliant Blue Barnacles! Where in the world did you come up with a bird brain idea like that!?” Haddock demanded a bit flustered almost choking on his words. Tintin nearly burst into laughter.

“Well uh… you know… it was in the magazine but I figured maybe you just weren’t ready to settle down and all you know, since you travel so much…” Jolyon rationalized.
“No! No! NO! Bianca and I are NEVER getting married! Got it!?” Haddock emphasized.
“Oh my goodness captain, do calm down…I didn’t realize you felt so passionately about it” Jolyon frowned.
“Mr. Jolyon just keeps sticking his foot in his mouth eh Snowy, Cocoa?” Tintin laughed quietly in the back seat petting the dogs.
“What an idiot!” Cocoa barked.
“You don’t know the half of it!” Snowy barked back.
“What are you talking about Wagg?! There is no passion! Get your head out of the clouds or out of the insurance papers for once and use your common sense! How long have you known me?” Haddock ranted on.
"Close to six years now Captain... maybe a little more?" Jolyon shrugged.
"How often have you heard of Madame Castafiore at my manor?" Haddock drilled.
"...uh well... um not much I guess..." he shrugged again.
"You see! You answered your own question you scandalous gossiper!" Haddock said a bit heated.
“Well you’re passionate about how you feel right now… well let’s change the subject…how about that insurance policy I offered you earlier?” he went back to his previous question about the manor.
“I told you Wagg, the answer is no N-O, no! If I want insurance I will call you! Please! I just got back from holiday!” Haddock continued shouting.
“Almost there Snowy, Cocoa, think the captain can make it without strangling Mr. Wagg?” Tintin laughed.
“This is entertaining” Cocoa barked.
“This could be bad for Wagg” Snowy thought.

“I understand Captain, but that’s when accidents happen the most” Jolyon pointed out.
“What are you talking about? The only accident that could happen is…” Haddock started to say as a little fox wandered out into the road. Tintin barely noticed it.
“Jolyon! Watch out for the fox!” Tintin pointed sitting up in his seat as Haddock was thrown forward and Snowy and Cocoa ended up on the floor as Jolyon slammed on his breaks throwing himself into the steering wheel. The captain fortunately had his seat belt on so only suffered some minor whiplash. Poor Tintin took a head dive into the front seat between Jolyon and Haddock.

“You ok Tintin?” Haddock said pulling him off the floor.
“Ugghh…” Tintin said seeing stars for a moment.
“Thunderin’ Typhoons Jolyon! You trying to kill us because we won't buy your silly policies?!” Haddock exclaimed.
“Oh my! I’m terribly sorry…” Jolyon said embarrassed.
“Instead of trying to sell me insurance policies try paying attention to the road would you?” Haddock tried to calm down.
“We’ll both need life insurance policies at this rate…” Tintin said gaining his bearings sitting back down.
Jolyon felt really bad trying to take make a sale, fortunately the little fox was able to cross safely.

“Ah we’re home captain!” Tintin sighed in relief.
“I couldn’t agree more landlubber!” Haddock sighed as they got out of the car.
Snowy and Cocoa quickly jumped out as well.
“Thank you Mr. Wagg, we really do appreciate it, but just be more careful, cars aren’t cheap you know, and you can’t replace your life” Tintin said politely.
“Right you are Mr. Tintin!” he said regarding Haddock.
“THANK you Jolyon Wagg” Haddock smiled silencing Jolyon before he could even think of anything else to say. “You take care you hear! And don’t run over any innocent foxes!” Haddock shook his fist mock threateningly.
“Yes sir, you have a good day now Captain, Tintin!” he said with a flustered look and drove off.
“Glad to be rid of him!” Haddock took off his hat and wiped his brow as walked over to the rotary dial under the glass case by the gate.
“Thunderin’ Typhoons Tintin, I can’t remember the number” Haddock said with some frustration.

“Don’t worry Captain, I remember” Tintin said dialing the number until a green light above flashed a few times and the gate lock unlatched.
“Here you go Snowy, show Cocoa around the ground and get her familiar with the area” Tintin smile opening the gate as the two raced in.
“It’s good to see Snowy has a friend now to pal around with” Haddock grinned as they walked up the path to Marlinspike. “So good to be home again” Haddock repeated himself carrying his suitcase with one hand and grabbing Tintin’s hand with the other.

“Indeed it is Captain, I’m sure Nestor and Cuthbert will be happy to see us...I can't wait to see what Nestor has prepared or will prepare for dinner tonight!” Tintin let the captain take his free hand as rain drops began to fall.
“Uh oh! Let’s hurry!” Haddock said racing with Tintin to the front door. Snowy and Cocoa were nowhere in sight as Haddock and Tintin raced still hand in hand all the way to the front. They took shelter under the door post trying to find a key for the front.

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