Таємничий острів

           Thehonestsailordidnothidehisregretatbeingreducedfordinnertothesingingpheasants,butfortuneoncemoreshoweditselfobligingtohim.

           Infact,Top,whofeltthathisinterestwasconcernedwentandferretedeverywherewithaninstinctdoubledbyaferociousappetite.Itwasevenprobablethatifsomepieceofgamedidfallintohisclutches,nonewouldbeleftforthehunters,ifTopwashuntingonhisownaccount;butNebwatchedhimandhedidwell.

           Towardsthreeo’clockthedogdisappearedinthebrushwoodandgruntingsshowedthathewasengagedinastrugglewithsomeanimal.Nebrushedafterhim,andsoonsawTopeagerlydevouringaquadruped,whichtensecondslaterwouldhavebeenpastrecognizinginTop’sstomach.Butfortunatelythedoghadfallenuponabrood,andbesidesthevictimhewasdevouring,twootherrodents—theanimalsinquestionbelongedtothatorder—laystrangledontheturf.

           Nebreappearedtriumphantlyholdingoneoftherodentsineachhand.Theirsizeexceededthatofarabbit,theirhairwasyellow,mingledwithgreenspots,andtheyhadthemerestrudimentsoftails.

           ThecitizensoftheUnionwereatnolossfortherightnameoftheserodents.Theyweremaras,asortofagouti,alittlelargerthantheircongenersoftropicalcountries,regularAmericanrabbits,withlongears,jawsarmedoneachsidewithfivemolars,whichdistinguishtheagouti.

           "Hurrah!"criedPencroft,"theroasthasarrived!andnowwecangohome."

           Thewalk,interruptedforaninstant,wasresumed.