Таинственный остров

           "Iacknowledge,"returnedSpilett,"thatthewoundgiventhiscreatureis,atleast,verystrange,andIcannotexplaineitherhowTopwassovigorouslycastupoutofthewater.Onecouldhavethoughtthatapowerfularmhurledhimup,andthatthesamearmwithadaggerkilledthedugong!"

           "Yes,"repliedtheengineer,whohadbecomethoughtful;"thereissomethingtherethatIcannotunderstand.Butdoyoubetterunderstandeither,mydearSpilett,inwhatwayIwassavedmyself—howIwasdrawnfromthewaves,andcarriedtothedowns?No!Isitnottrue?Now,Ifeelsurethatthereissomemysterythere,which,doubtless,weshalldiscoversomeday.Letusobserve,butdonotdwellonthesesingularincidentsbeforeourcompanions.Letuskeepourremarkstoourselves,andcontinueourwork."

           Itwillberememberedthattheengineerhadnotasyetbeenabletodiscovertheplacewherethesurpluswaterescaped,butheknewitmustexistsomewhere.Hewasmuchsurprisedtoseeastrongcurrentatthisplace.Bythrowinginsomebitsofwoodhefoundthatitsettowardsthesouthernangle.Hefollowedthecurrent,andarrivedatthesouthpointofthelake.

           Therewasthereasortofdepressioninthewater,asifitwassuddenlylostinsomefissureintheground.

           Hardinglistened;placinghiseartothelevelofthelake,heverydistinctlyheardthenoiseofasubterraneanfall.