Таинственный остров

           "Atanyrate,"saidGideonSpilett,"whetherrockorexplosion,youwillagree,Pencroft,thatitoccurredjustinthenickoftime!"

           "Yes!yes!"repliedthesailor,"butthatisnotthequestion.IaskCaptainHardingifheseesanythingsupernaturalinallthis."

           "Icannotsay,Pencroft,"saidtheengineer."ThatisalltheanswerIcanmake."

           AreplywhichdidnotsatisfyPencroftatall.Hestuckto"anexplosion,"anddidnotwishtogiveitup.Hewouldneverconsenttoadmitthatinthatchannel,withitsfinesandybed,justlikethebeach,whichhehadoftencrossedatlowwater,therecouldbeanunknownrock.

           Andbesides,atthetimethebrigfoundered,itwashighwater,thatistosay,therewasenoughwatertocarrythevesselclearoveranyrockswhichwouldnotbeuncoveredatlowtide.Therefore,therecouldnothavebeenacollision.Therefore,thevesselhadnotstruck.Soshehadblownup.

           Anditmustbeconfessedthatthesailor’sargumentswerereasonable.

           Towardshalf-pastone,thecolonistsembarkedintheboattovisitthewreck.Itwastoberegrettedthatthebrig’stwoboatshadnotbeensaved;butone,ashasbeensaid,hadgonetopiecesatthemouthoftheMercy,andwasabsolutelyuseless;theotherhaddisappearedwhenthebrigwentdown,andhadnotagainbeenseen,havingdoubtlessbeencrushed.

           Thehullofthe"Speedy"wasjustbeginningtoissuefromthewater.