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Tintin and Haddock were back on the road early the next morning. The sun was hardly up when they started off. A good night's sleep was what both of them needed, and they were in better spirits. The only setback the encountered was a herd of cattle blocking the road, but a few loud beeps of the horn moved them away, and the travellers made it to Switzerland by lunchtime.
"Now, if we had forced ourselves to carry on yesterday," Haddock explained as they had lunch at a café. They were in Lausanne. "We would be in fowl moods, and tired and grumpy."
"I did already tell you, Captain," Tintin repeated with a smirk. "You were right to stay in Paris last night. But I'm sure you can understand my determination."
"Oh, I can, laddie," Haddock nodded, setting down his plate of scraps for Bella. "It's just like when Chang was lost in Tibet."
"Only not as serious," Tintin admitted. "It's not like Snowy is ill with fever in a cold environment. He's probably found plenty to eat by stealing a few bones from other dogs." Haddock chuckled.
"Aye, that he would," he agreed, but his smile faded, noticing Tintin's eyes, and how sad they looked. "Now, Tintin, you can't still be thinking it's a possibility that Snowy's…" He searched for the right word. "…dead… can you?"
"Oh, I am, Captain," Tintin sighed. "I'm thinking it is a possibility. But, I'm willing to search all over Europe if I must to find out." He had a look of determination on his face.
"Of course you are, lad," Haddock said softly, as Tintin stood from his chair, ready to get going once more. "Of course you are."
Haddock felt cramped as they sat, once again, in the rented automobile, driving along some road through some town or city. He felt that they had been driving forever and a day when an awful thing happened.
Tintin was at the wheel, while Haddock trying to thing of what he could do to pass the time. He whistled, he hummed, he even played tried to count all the blue cars he saw, but really, it was all pointless. The time never went any faster. He thought about asking Tintin to swap seats, and let him drive; that would at least give him something to do. They had been driving in silence for quite a long while.
"Tintin," he said.
"Yes, Captain?" the other replied.
"How about letting me drive for bit?"
"Of course, Captain," Tintin agreed, and pulled over so they could swap. Bella, sleeping in the back, opened one eye, saw that they had changed, and moved to the opposite end of the seat to lie behind the Captain, and snoozed again. Tintin also felt drowsy, and was soon dozing. Haddock sighed, then remembered something. Reaching into the only bag he brought, and pulled out a small bottle of whiskey.
"Nothing like a drink to quench your thirst," he said to himself, as he pulled off the lid. Paying no attention to what he was doing, he took a long gulp of the stuff. He put down the bottle, and when he looked up, a car suddenly drove in front of them, and they soon crashed side-on into it. Tintin woke up, Bella barked loudly, and Haddock had his drink all over himself. Tintin reviewed the situation, then quickly scrambled out of the car to see if the other person needed assistance. Haddock soon realised what had happened – having only just gotten over the shock of having his drink on him instead of in him, and not quite having enough to be intoxicated – and climbed out of the car after Tintin.
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