Таємничий острів

           ThislastoperationCyrusHardinghadmadealone,inaretiredplace,atadistancefromtheChimneys,forhefearedthedangerofanexplosion,andwhenheshowedabottleofthisliquidtohisfriends,hecontentedhimselfwithsaying,—

           "Hereisnitro-glycerine!"

           Itwasreallythisterribleproduction,ofwhichtheexplosivepowerisperhapstenfoldthatofordinarypowder,andwhichhasalreadycausedsomanyaccidents.However,sinceawayhasbeenfoundtotransformitintodynamite,thatistosay,tomixwithitsomesolidsubstance,clayorsugar,porousenoughtoholdit,thedangerousliquidhasbeenusedwithsomesecurity.ButdynamitewasnotyetknownatthetimewhenthesettlersworkedonLincolnIsland.

           "Andisitthatliquidthatisgoingtoblowupourrocks?"saidPencroftincredulously.

           "Yes,myfriend,"repliedtheengineer,"andthisnitro-glycerinewillproducesomuchthemoreeffect,asthegraniteisextremelyhard,andwillopposeagreaterresistancetotheexplosion."

           "Andwhenshallweseethis,captain?"

           "To-morrow,assoonaswehavedugaholeforthemine,repliedtheengineer."

           Thenextday,the21stofMay,atdaybreak,theminerswenttothepointwhichformedtheeasternshoreofLakeGrant,andwasonlyfivehundredfeetfromthecoast.Atthisplace,theplateauinclineddownwardsfromthewaters,whichwereonlyrestrainedbytheirgranitecase.