HalfanhourlaterCyrusHardingandHerberthadreturnedtotheencampment.Theengineermerelytoldhiscompanionsthatthelanduponwhichfatehadthrownthemwasanisland,andthatthenextdaytheywouldconsult.Theneachsettledhimselfaswellashecouldtosleep,andinthatrockyhole,ataheightoftwothousandfivehundredfeetabovethelevelofthesea,throughapeacefulnight,theislandersenjoyedprofoundrepose.

           Thenextday,the30thofMarch,afterahastybreakfast,whichconsistedsolelyoftheroastedtragopan,theengineerwishedtoclimbagaintothesummitofthevolcano,soasmoreattentivelytosurveytheislanduponwhichheandhiscompanionswereimprisonedforlifeperhaps,shouldtheislandbesituatedatagreatdistancefromanyland,orifitwasoutofthecourseofvesselswhichvisitedthearchipelagoesofthePacificOcean.Thistimehiscompanionsfollowedhiminthenewexploration.Theyalsowishedtoseetheisland,ontheproductionsofwhichtheymustdependforthesupplyofalltheirwants.

           Itwasaboutseveno’clockinthemorningwhenCyrusHarding,Herbert,Pencroft,GideonSpilett,andNebquittedtheencampment.Nooneappearedtobeanxiousabouttheirsituation.Theyhadfaithinthemselves,doubtless,butitmustbeobservedthatthebasisofthisfaithwasnotthesamewithHardingaswithhiscompanions.Theengineerhadconfidence,becausehefeltcapableofextortingfromthiswildcountryeverythingnecessaryforthelifeofhimselfandhiscompanions;thelatterfearednothing,justbecauseCyrusHardingwaswiththem.Pencroftespecially,sincetheincidentoftherelightedfire,wouldnothavedespairedforaninstant,evenifhewasonabarerock,iftheengineerwaswithhimontherock.

           "Pshaw,"saidhe,"weleftRichmondwithoutpermissionfromtheauthorities!