CyrusHardingstoodstill,withoutsayingaword.Hiscompanionssearchedinthedarknessonthewall,incasethewindshouldhavemovedtheladder,andontheground,thinkingthatitmighthavefallendown....Buttheladderhadquitedisappeared.Astoascertainingifasquallhadblownitonthelanding-place,halfwayup,thatwasimpossibleinthedark.

           "Ifitisajoke,"criedPencroft,"itisaverystupidone!Tocomehomeandfindnostaircasetogouptoyourroomby—that’snothingforwearymentolaughat."

           Nebcoulddonothingbutcryout"Oh!oh!oh!"

           "IbegintothinkthatverycuriousthingshappeninLincolnIsland!"saidPencroft.

           "Curious?"repliedGideonSpilett,"notatall,Pencroft,nothingcanbemorenatural.Someonehascomeduringourabsence,takenpossessionofourdwellinganddrawnuptheladder."

           "Someone,"criedthesailor."Butwho?"

           "Whobutthehunterwhofiredthebullet?"repliedthereporter.

           "Well,ifthereisanyoneupthere,"repliedPencroft,whobegantolosepatience,"Iwillgivethemahail,andtheymustanswer."

           Andinastentorianvoicethesailorgaveaprolonged"Halloo!"whichwasechoedagainandagainfromthecliffandrocks.

           Thesettlerslistenedandtheythoughttheyheardasortofchucklinglaugh,ofwhichtheycouldnotguesstheorigin.ButnovoicerepliedtoPencroft,whoinvainrepeatedhisvigorousshouts.

           Therewassomethingindeedinthistoastonishthemostapatheticofmen,andthesettlerswerenotmenofthatdescription.