Таємничий острів

           WhereisTop?"

           "Topisonbefore."

           "Andhedoesn’tbark?"

           "No."

           "Thatisstrange.However,wemusttrytocallhimback."

           Inafewmoments,theengineer,GideonSpilett,andHerberthadrejoinedtheirtwocompanions,andlikethem,theykeptoutofsightbehindtheheapsofbasalt.

           Fromthencetheyclearlysawsmokeofayellowishcolorrisingintheair.

           Topwasrecalledbyaslightwhistlefromhismaster,andthelatter,signingtohiscompanionstowaitforhim,glidedawayamongtherocks.Thecolonists,motionless,anxiouslyawaitedtheresultofthisexploration,whenashoutfromtheengineermadethemhastenforward.Theysoonjoinedhim,andwereatoncestruckwithadisagreeableodorwhichimpregnatedtheatmosphere.

           Theodor,easilyrecognized,wasenoughfortheengineertoguesswhatthesmokewaswhichatfirst,notwithoutcause,hadstartledhim.

           "Thisfue,"saidhe,"orrather,thissmokeisproducedbynaturealone.Thereisasulphurspringthere,whichwillcurealloursorethroats."

           "Captain!"criedPencroft."WhatapitythatIhaven’tgotacold!"

           Thesettlersthendirectedtheirstepstowardstheplacefromwhichthesmokeescaped.Theytheresawasulphurspringwhichflowedabundantlybetweentherocks,anditswatersdischargedastrongsulphuricacidodor,afterhavingabsorbedtheoxygenoftheair.

           CyrusHarding,dippinginhishand,feltthewateroilytothetouch.Hetasteditandfounditrathersweet.Astoitstemperature,thatheestimatedatninety-fivedegreesFahrenheit.