The Waif of the Cynthia by Jules Verne — Read

The next day the "Alaska" entered the harbor of Brest. The damage which / she had sustained was fortunately not important. An engineer who was / applied to immediately promised that her injuries should be repaired in / three days. It was therefore not a very serious delay, and they could / make up for it in a measure by taking in coal. They would therefore not / be obliged to stop at Gibraltar for this purpose, as they had at first / intended. Their next stopping-place was to be at Malta, which they hoped / to reach twenty-four hours earlier than they had at first expected, and / thus would reduce the time of their delay in reality to two days. They / therefore had nothing to worry themselves about, and everyone felt / disposed to view the accident in the most philosophical manner.

It soon became evident that their mischance was going to be turned into / a festival. In a few hours the arrival of the "Alaska" became known / through the town, and as the newspapers made known the object of the / expedition, the commander of the Swedish vessel soon found himself the / recipient of the most flattering attentions. The admiral and Mayor of / Brest, the commander of the port, and the captains of the vessels which / were lying at anchor, all came to pay an official visit to Captain / Marsilas. A dinner and a ball were tendered to the hardy explorers, who / were to take part in the search for the "Nordenskiold. " Although the / doctor and Mr. Malarius cared little for such gatherings, they were / obliged to take their places at the table which was prepared for them. / As for Mr. Bredejord, he was in his true element.