Таємничий острів

           Moreover,thesailorthoughtofsimplyaskingtheengineertomanufacturesomepowderandoneortwofowling-pieces;hesupposedtherewouldbenodifficultyinthat.

           Onleavingtheplateau,thecaptainproposedtohiscompanionstoreturntotheChimneysbyanewway.HewishedtoreconnoiterLakeGrant,somagnificentlyframedintrees.Theythereforefollowedthecrestofoneofthespurs,betweenwhichthecreekthatsuppliedthelakeprobablyhaditssource.Intalking,thesettlersalreadyemployedthenameswhichtheyhadjustchosen,whichsingularlyfacilitatedtheexchangeoftheirideas.HerbertandPencroft—theoneyoungandtheotherveryboyish—wereenchanted,andwhilewalking,thesailorsaid,

           "Hey,Herbert!howcapitalitsounds!Itwillbeimpossibletoloseourselves,myboy,since,whetherwefollowthewaytoLakeGrant,orwhetherwejointheMercythroughthewoodsoftheFarWest,weshallbecertaintoarriveatProspectHeights,and,consequently,atUnionBay!"

           Ithadbeenagreed,thatwithoutformingacompactband,thesettlersshouldnotstrayawayfromeachother.Itwasverycertainthatthethickforestsoftheislandwereinhabitedbydangerousanimals,anditwasprudenttobeontheirguard.Ingeneral,Pencroft,Herbert,andNebwalkedfirst,precededbyTop,whopokedhisnoseintoeverybush.