Таємничий острів

           Thesettlers,therefore,prudentlyadvancedtowardsthenorthpoint,walkingovergroundriddledwithlittleholes,whichformednestsforthesea-birds.Towardstheextremityoftheisletappearedgreatblackheadsfloatingjustabovethewater,havingexactlytheappearanceofrocksinmotion.

           Thesewerethesealswhichweretobecaptured.Itwasnecessary,however,firsttoallowthemtoland,forwiththeirclose,shorthair,andtheirfusiformconformation,beingexcellentswimmers,itisdifficulttocatchtheminthesea,whileonlandtheirshort,webbedfeetpreventtheirhavingmorethanaslow,waddlingmovement.

           Pencroftknewthehabitsofthesecreatures,andheadvisedwaitingtilltheywerestretchedonthesand,whenthesun,beforelong,wouldsendthemtosleep.Theymustthenmanagetocutofftheirretreatandknockthemonthehead.

           Thehunters,havingconcealedthemselvesbehindtherocks,waitedsilently.

           Anhourpassedbeforethesealscametoplayonthesand.Theycouldcounthalfadozen.PencroftandHerbertthenwentroundthepointoftheislet,soastotakethemintherear,andcutofftheirretreat.DuringthistimeCyrusHarding,Spilett,andNeb,crawlingbehindtherocks,glidedtowardsthefuturesceneofcombat.

           Allatoncethetallfigureofthesailorappeared.Pencroftshouted.Theengineerandhistwocompanionsthrewthemselvesbetweentheseaandtheseals.Twooftheanimalssoonlaydeadonthesand,buttherestregainedtheseainsafety.