Таинственный остров

           "What?"

           "Fire,"saidthesailor,who,also,hadafixedidea.

           "Wewillmakeit,Pencroft,"repliedHarding.

           "Whileyouwerecarryingmeyesterday,didInotseeinthewestamountainwhichcommandsthecountry?"

           "Yes,"repliedSpilett,"amountainwhichmustberatherhigh—"

           "Well,"repliedtheengineer,"wewillclimbtothesummitto-morrow,andthenweshallseeifthislandisanislandoracontinent.Tillthen,Irepeat,thereisnothingtobedone."

           "Yes,fire!"saidtheobstinatesailoragain.

           "Buthewillmakeusafire!"repliedGideonSpilett,"onlyhavealittlepatience,Pencroft!"

           TheseamanlookedatSpilettinawaywhichseemedtosay,"Ifitdependeduponyoutodoit,wewouldn’ttasteroastmeatverysoon";buthewassilent.

           MeanwhileCaptainHardinghadmadenoreply.Heappearedtobeverylittletroubledbythequestionoffire.Forafewminutesheremainedabsorbedinthought;thenagainspeaking,—

           "Myfriends,"saidhe,"oursituationis,perhaps,deplorable;but,atanyrate,itisveryplain.Eitherweareonacontinent,andthen,attheexpenseofgreaterorlessfatigue,weshallreachsomeinhabitedplace,orweareonanisland.