Таинственный остров

           ButCyrusHarding,lessconfident,advisedthemtoconfinethemselvestofact,andmoreespeciallysowithregardtothebuildingofavessel—areallyurgentwork,sinceitwasforthepurposeofdepositing,assoonaspossible,atTaborIslandadocumentindicatingAyrton’snewresidence.

           Asthe"Bonadventure"nolongerexisted,sixmonthsatleastwouldberequiredfortheconstructionofanewvessel.Nowwinterwasapproaching,andthevoyagewouldnotbemadebeforethefollowingspring.

           "Wehavetimetogeteverythingreadyforthefineseason,"remarkedtheengineer,whowasconsultingwithPencroftaboutthesematters."Ithink,therefore,myfriend,thatsincewehavetorebuildourvesselitwillbebesttogiveherlargerdimensions.ThearrivaloftheScotchyachtatTaborIslandisveryuncertain.Itmayevenbethat,havingarrivedseveralmonthsago,shehasagainsailedafterhavingvainlysearchedforsometraceofAyrton.Willitnotthenhebesttobuildashipwhich,ifnecessary,couldtakeuseithertothePolynesianArchipelagoortoNewZealand?Whatdoyouthink?"

           "Ithink,captain,"answeredthesailor;"Ithinkthatyouareascapableofbuildingalargevesselasasmallone.Neitherthewoodnorthetoolsarewanting.Itisonlyaquestionoftime."

           "Andhowmanymonthswouldberequiredtobuildavesseloffrom250to300tons?"askedHarding.

           "Sevenoreightmonthsatleast,"repliedPencroft."Butitmustnotbeforgottenthatwinterisdrawingnear,andthatinseverefrostwoodisdifficulttowork.