Таинственный остров

           Healonebesidescantellus,ifhehasmorethanahope,acertainty,ofreturningsomedaytohiscountry,butIdoubtit!"

           "Andwhy?"askedthereporter.

           "Becausethat,intheeventofhisbeingsureofbeingdeliveredatacertaintime,hewouldhavewaitedthehourofhisdeliveranceandwouldnothavethrownthisdocumentintothesea.No,itismoreprobablethathewascondemnedtodieonthatislet,andthatheneverexpectedtoseehisfellow-creaturesagain!"

           "But,"observedthesailor,"thereisonethingwhichIcannotexplain."

           "Whatisit?"

           "IfthismanhadbeenleftfortwelveyearsonTaborIsland,onemaywellsupposethathehadbeenseveralyearsalreadyinthewildstateinwhichwefoundhim!"

           "Thatisprobable,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           "Itmustthenbemanyyearssincehewrotethatdocument!"

           "Nodoubt,"andyetthedocumentappearstohavebeenrecentlywritten!

           "Besides,howdoyouknowthatthebottlewhichenclosedthedocumentmaynothavetakenseveralyearstocomefromTaborIslandtoLincolnIsland?"

           "Thatisnotabsolutelyimpossible,"repliedthereporter.

           "Mightitnothavebeenalongtimealreadyonthecoastoftheisland?"

           "No,"answeredPencroft,"foritwasstillfloating.Wecouldnotevensupposethatafterithadstayedforanylengthoftimeontheshore,itwouldhavebeensweptoffbythesea,forthesouthcoastisallrocks,anditwouldcertainlyhavebeensmashedtopiecesthere!"

           "Thatistrue,"rejoinedCyrusHardingthoughtfully.