Таємничий острів

           "There,"saidhe,rising,"isthedischargeofthewater;there,doubtless,byapassageinthegranitecliff,itjoinsthesea,throughcavitieswhichwecanusetoourprofit.Well,Icanfindit!"

           Theengineercutalongbranch,strippeditofitsleaves,andplungingitintotheanglebetweenthetwobanks,hefoundthattherewasalargeholeonefootonlybeneaththesurfaceofthewater.Thisholewastheopeningsolonglookedforinvain,andtheforceofthecurrentwassuchthatthebranchwastornfromtheengineer’shandsanddisappeared.

           "Thereisnodoubtaboutitnow,"repeatedHarding."Thereistheoutlet,andIwilllayitopentoview!"

           "How?"askedGideonSpilett.

           "Byloweringthelevelofthewaterofthelakethreefeet.""Andhowwillyoulowerthelevel?"

           "Byopeninganotheroutletlargerthanthis."

           "Atwhatplace,Cyrus?"

           "Atthepartofthebanknearestthecoast."

           "Butitisamassofgranite!"observedSpilett.

           "Well,"repliedCyrusHarding,"Iwillblowupthegranite,andthewaterescaping,willsubside,soastolaybarethisopening—"

           "Andmakeawaterfall,byfallingontothebeach,"addedthereporter.

           "Afallthatweshallmakeuseof!"repliedCyrus."Come,come!"

           Theengineerhurriedawayhiscompanion,whoseconfidenceinHardingwassuchthathedidnotdoubttheenterprisewouldsucceed.