The Secret of the Island

           ItwasnowtwoyearsandahalfsincethecastawaysfromtheballoonhadbeenthrownonLincolnIsland,andduringthatperiodtherehadbeennocommunicationbetweenthemandtheirfellow-creatures.Oncethereporterhadattemptedtocommunicatewiththeinhabitedworldbyconfidingtoabirdaletterwhichcontainedthesecretoftheirsituation,butthatwasachanceonwhichitwasimpossibletoreckonseriously.Ayrton,alone,underthecircumstanceswhichhavebeenrelated,hadcometojointhelittlecolony.Now,suddenly,onthisday,the17thofOctober,othermenhadunexpectedlyappearedinsightoftheisland,onthatdesertedsea!

           Therecouldbenodoubtaboutit!Avesselwasthere!Butwouldshepasson,orwouldsheputintoport?Inafewhoursthecolonistswoulddefinitelyknowwhattoexpect.

           CyrusHardingandHerberthavingimmediatelycalledGideonSpilett,Pencroft,andNebintothedining-roomofGraniteHouse,toldthemwhathadhappened.Pencroft,seizingthetelescope,rapidlysweptthehorizon,andstoppingontheindicatedpoint,thatistosay,onthatwhichhadmadethealmostimperceptiblespotonthephotographicnegative,—

           "I’mblessedbutitisreallyavessel!"heexclaimed,inavoicewhichdidnotexpressanygreatamountofsatisfaction.

           "Isshecominghere?"askedGideonSpilett.

           "Impossibletosayanythingyet,"answeredPencroft,"forherriggingaloneisabovethehorizon,andnotabitofherhullcanbeseen."

           "Whatistobedone?"askedthelad.

           "Wait,"repliedHarding.