Острів доктора Моро
The Strange Face.
Fartherunderthestarboardbulwarkweresomebighutchescontaininganumberofrabbits,andasolitaryllamawassqueezedinamereboxofacageforward.Thedogsweremuzzledbyleatherstraps.Theonlyhumanbeingondeckwasagauntandsilentsailoratthewheel.
Thepatchedanddirtyspankersweretensebeforethewind,andupaloftthelittleshipseemedcarryingeverysailshehad.Theskywasclear,thesunmidwaydownthewesternsky;longwaves,cappedbythebreezewithfroth,wererunningwithus.Wewentpastthesteersmantothetaffrail,andsawthewatercomefoamingunderthesternandthebubblesgodancingandvanishinginherwake.Iturnedandsurveyedtheunsavourylengthoftheship.
"Isthisanoceanmenagerie?"saidI.
"Lookslikeit,"saidMontgomery.
"Whatarethesebeastsfor?Merchandise,curios?DoesthecaptainthinkheisgoingtosellthemsomewhereintheSouthSeas?"
"Itlookslikeit,doesn’tit?"saidMontgomery,andturnedtowardsthewakeagain.
Suddenlyweheardayelpandavolleyoffuriousblasphemyfromthecompanionhatchway,andthedeformedmanwiththeblackfacecameuphurriedly.Hewasimmediatelyfollowedbyaheavyred-hairedmaninawhitecap.Atthesightoftheformerthestaghounds,whohadalltiredofbarkingatmebythistime,becamefuriouslyexcited,howlingandleapingagainsttheirchains.
