Таинственный остров

           Hardinginstructedhiscompanionsinmanythings,principallyexplainingtothemthepracticalapplicationsofscience.Thecolonistshadnolibraryattheirdisposal;buttheengineerwasabookwhichwasalwaysathand,alwaysopenatthepagewhichonewanted,abookwhichansweredalltheirquestions,andwhichtheyoftenconsulted.Thetimethuspassedawaypleasantly,thesebravemennotappearingtohaveanyfearsforthefuture.

           However,allwereanxioustosee,ifnotthefineseason,atleastthecessationoftheinsupportablecold.Ifonlytheyhadbeenclothedinawaytomeetit,howmanyexcursionstheywouldhaveattempted,eithertothedownsortoTadorn’sFens!Gamewouldhavebeeneasilyapproached,andthechasewouldcertainlyhavebeenmostproductive.ButCyrusHardingconsidereditofimportancethatnooneshouldinjurehishealth,forhehadneedofallhishands,andhisadvicewasfollowed.

           Butitmustbesaid,thattheonewhowasmostimpatientofthisimprisonment,afterPencroftperhaps,wasTop.ThefaithfuldogfoundGraniteHouseverynarrow.Heranbackwardsandforwardsfromoneroomtoanother,showinginhiswayhowwearyhewasofbeingshutup.Hardingoftenremarkedthatwhenheapproachedthedarkwellwhichcommunicatedwiththesea,andofwhichtheorificeopenedatthebackofthestoreroom,Toputteredsingulargrowlings.Heranroundandroundthishole,whichhadbeencoveredwithawoodenlid.Sometimesevenhetriedtoputhispawsunderthelid,asifhewishedtoraiseit.