Таємничий острів

           "Howmanypeopledoyouwishtobringwithyou?"askedthesailor.

           "Two;myfriendSpilett,andmyservantNeb."

           "Thatwillbethree,"repliedPencroft;"andwithHerbertandmefive.Buttheballoonwillholdsix—"

           "Thatwillbeenough,wewillgo,"answeredHardinginafirmvoice.

           This"we"includedSpilett,forthereporter,ashisfriendwellknew,wasnotamantodrawback,andwhentheprojectwascommunicatedtohimheapprovedofitunreservedly.Whatastonishedhimwas,thatsosimpleanideahadnotoccurredtohimbefore.AstoNeb,hefollowedhismasterwhereverhismasterwishedtogo.

           "Thisevening,then,"saidPencroft,"wewillallmeetoutthere."

           "Thisevening,atteno’clock,"repliedCaptainHarding;"andHeavengrantthatthestormdoesnotabatebeforeourdeparture."

           Pencrofttookleaveofthetwofriends,andreturnedtohislodging,whereyoungHerbertBrownhadremained.Thecourageousboyknewofthesailor’splan,anditwasnotwithoutanxietythatheawaitedtheresultoftheproposalbeingmadetotheengineer.Thusfivedeterminedpersonswereabouttoabandonthemselvestothemercyofthetempestuouselements!

           No!thestormdidnotabate,andneitherJonathanForsternorhiscompanionsdreamedofconfrontingitinthatfrailcar.

           Itwouldbeaterriblejourney.Theengineeronlyfearedonething;itwasthattheballoon,heldtothegroundanddashedaboutbythewind,wouldbetornintoshreds.