Таинственный остров

           Frightfulindeedwasthesituationoftheseunfortunatemen. Theywereevidentlynolongermastersofthemachine. Alltheirattemptswereuseless. Thecaseoftheballooncollapsedmoreandmore. Thegasescapedwithoutanypossibilityofretainingit. Theirdescentwasvisiblyaccelerated,andsoonaftermiddaythecarhungwithin600feetoftheocean. 

           Itwasimpossibletopreventtheescapeofgas,whichrushedthroughalargerentinthesilk. Bylighteningthecarofallthearticleswhichitcontained,thepassengershadbeenabletoprolongtheirsuspensionintheairforafewhours. Buttheinevitablecatastrophecouldonlyberetarded,andiflanddidnotappearbeforenight,voyagers,car,andballoonmusttoacertaintyvanishbeneaththewaves. 

           Theynowresortedtotheonlyremainingexpedient. Theyweretrulydauntlessmen,whoknewhowtolookdeathintheface. Notasinglemurmurescapedfromtheirlips. Theyweredeterminedtostruggletothelastminute,todoanythingtoretardtheirfall. Thecarwasonlyasortofwillowbasket,unabletofloat,andtherewasnottheslightestpossibilityofmaintainingitonthesurfaceofthesea. 

           Twomorehourspassedandtheballoonwasscarcely400feetabovethewater. 

           Atthatmomentaloudvoice,thevoiceofamanwhoseheartwasinaccessibletofear,washeard. Tothisvoicerespondedothersnotlessdetermined. "Iseverythingthrownout?" "No,herearestill2,000dollarsingold." Aheavybagimmediatelyplungedintothesea. "Doestheballoonrise?" "Alittle,butitwillnotbelongbeforeitfallsagain." "Whatstillremainstobethrownout?" "Nothing." "Yes!thecar! ""Letuscatchholdofthenet,andintotheseawiththecar."