Таємничий острів

           Butbeforegivinghiscompanionsthesignalfordeparture,CyrusHardingsaidtotheminacalm,gravevoice,—

           Here,myfriends,isthesmallcorneroflanduponwhichthehandoftheAlmightyhasthrownus.Wearegoingtolivehere;alongtime,perhaps.Perhaps,too,unexpectedhelpwillarrive,ifsomeshippassesbychance.Isaybychance,becausethisisanunimportantisland;thereisnotevenaportinwhichshipscouldanchor,anditistobefearedthatitissituatedoutoftherouteusuallyfollowed,thatistosay,toomuchtothesouthfortheshipswhichfrequentthearchipelagoesofthePacific,andtoomuchtothenorthforthosewhichgotoAustraliabydoublingCapeHorn.Iwishtohidenothingofourpositionfromyou—"

           "Andyouareright,mydearCyrus,"repliedthereporter,withanimation."Youhavetodealwithmen.Theyhaveconfidenceinyou,andyoucandependuponthem.Isitnotso,myfriends?"

           "Iwillobeyyouineverything,captain,"saidHerbert,seizingtheengineer’shand.

           "Mymasteralways,andeverywhere!"criedNeb.

           "Asforme,"saidthesailor,"ifIevergrumbleatwork,myname’snotJackPencroft,andifyoulike,captain,wewillmakealittleAmericaofthisisland!Wewillbuildtowns,wewillestablishrailways,starttelegraphs,andonefineday,whenitisquitechanged,quiteputinorderandquitecivilized,wewillgoandofferittothegovernmentoftheUnion.Only,Iaskonething."

           "Whatisthat?"saidthereporter.

           "Itis,thatwedonotconsiderourselvescastaways,butcolonists,whohavecomeheretosettle."