Таинственный остров

           "Notethat,Mr.Spilett,notethatdownonyourpaper!"

           "Itisnoted,"repliedthereporter.

           Then,Nebhelpinghim,theseamanarrangedthespit,andthecapybara,properlycleaned,wassoonroastinglikeasuckling-pigbeforeaclear,cracklingfire.

           TheChimneyshadagainbecomemorehabitable,notonlybecausethepassageswerewarmedbythefire,butbecausethepartitionsofwoodandmudhadbeenre-established.

           Itwasevidentthattheengineerandhiscompanionshademployedtheirdaywell.CyrusHardinghadalmostentirelyrecoveredhisstrength,andhadproveditbyclimbingtotheupperplateau.Fromthispointhiseye,accustomedtoestimateheightsanddistances,wasfixedforalongtimeonthecone,thesummitofwhichhewishedtoreachthenextday.Themountain,situatedaboutsixmilestothenorthwest,appearedtohimtomeasure3,500feetabovethelevelofthesea.Consequentlythegazeofanobserverpostedonitssummitwouldextendoveraradiusofatleastfiftymiles.ThereforeitwasprobablethatHardingcouldeasilysolvethequestionof"islandorcontinent,"towhichheattachedsomuchimportance.

           Theysuppedcapitally.Thefleshofthecapybarawasdeclaredexcellent.Thesargassumandthealmondsofthestone-pinecompletedtherepast,duringwhichtheengineerspokelittle.Hewaspreoccupiedwithprojectsforthenextday.

           OnceortwicePencroftgaveforthsomeideasuponwhatitwouldbebesttodo;butCyrusHarding,whowasevidentlyofamethodicalmind,onlyshookhisheadwithoututteringaword.