Таинственный остров

           Theylistened,theycalled,andthenunitingtheirvoices,theyendeavoredtoraiseevenaloudershoutthanbefore,whichwouldbetransmittedtoagreatdistance.Thewindhadnowfallenalmosttoacalm,andthenoiseoftheseabeganalsotosubside.OneofNeb’sshoutsevenappearedtoproduceanecho.HerbertdirectedPencroft’sattentiontoit,adding,"Thatprovesthatthereisacoasttothewest,atnogreatdistance."Thesailornodded;besides,hiseyescouldnotdeceivehim.Ifhehaddiscoveredland,howeverindistinctitmightappear,landwassuretobethere.ButthatdistantechowastheonlyresponseproducedbyNeb’sshouts,whileaheavygloomhungoveralltheparteastoftheisland.

           Meanwhile,theskywasclearinglittlebylittle.Towardsmidnightthestarsshoneout,andiftheengineerhadbeentherewithhiscompanionshewouldhaveremarkedthatthesestarsdidnotbelongtotheNorthernHemisphere.ThePolarStarwasnotvisible,theconstellationswerenotthosewhichtheyhadbeenaccustomedtoseeintheUnitedStates;theSouthernCrossglitteredbrightlyinthesky.

           Thenightpassedaway.Towardsfiveo’clockinthemorningofthe25thofMarch,theskybegantolighten;thehorizonstillremaineddark,butwithdaybreakathickmistrosefromthesea,sothattheeyecouldscarcelypenetratebeyondtwentyfeetorsofromwheretheystood.Atlengththefoggraduallyunrolleditselfingreatheavilymovingwaves.

           Itwasunfortunate,however,thatthecastawayscoulddistinguishnothingaroundthem.WhilethegazeofthereporterandNebwerecastupontheocean,thesailorandHerbertlookedeagerlyforthecoastinthewest.Butnotaspeckoflandwasvisible.