Theengineer,themeshesofthenethavinggivenway,hadbeencarriedoffbyawave.Hisdogalsohaddisappeared.Thefaithfulanimalhadvoluntarilyleapedouttohelphismaster."Forward,"criedthereporter;andallfour,Spilett,Herbert,Pencroft,andNeb,forgettingtheirfatigue,begantheirsearch.PoorNebshedbittertears,givingwaytodespairatthethoughtofhavinglosttheonlybeinghelovedonearth.

           OnlytwominuteshadpassedfromthetimewhenCyrusHardingdisappearedtothemomentwhenhiscompanionssetfootontheground.Theyhadhopesthereforeofarrivingintimetosavehim."Letuslookforhim!letuslookforhim!"criedNeb.

           "Yes,Neb,"repliedGideonSpilett,"andwewillfindhimtoo!"

           "Living,Itrust!"

           "Stillliving!"

           "Canheswim?"askedPencroft.

           "Yes,"repliedNeb,"andbesides,Topisthere."

           Thesailor,observingtheheavysurfontheshore,shookhishead.

           Theengineerhaddisappearedtothenorthoftheshore,andnearlyhalfamilefromtheplacewherethecastawayshadlanded.Thenearestpointofthebeachhecouldreachwasthusfullythatdistanceoff.

           Itwasthennearlysixo’clock.Athickfogmadethenightverydark.Thecastawaysproceededtowardthenorthofthelandonwhichchancehadthrownthem,anunknownregion,thegeographicalsituationofwhichtheycouldnotevenguess.