Таємничий острів

           ThepresenceofthisgrainwasexplainedbythefactthatHerbert,whenatRichmond,usedtofeedsomepigeons,ofwhichPencrofthadmadehimapresent.

           "Agrainofcorn?"saidtheengineerquickly.

           "Yes,captain;butone,onlyone!"

           "Well,myboy,"saidPencroft,laughing,"we’regettingoncapitally,uponmyword!Whatshallwemakewithonegrainofcorn?"

           "Wewillmakebreadofit,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           "Bread,cakes,tarts!"repliedthesailor."Come,thebreadthatthisgrainofcornwillmakewon’tchokeusverysoon!"

           Herbert,notattachingmuchimportancetohisdiscovery,wasgoingtothrowawaythegraininquestion;butHardingtookit,examinedit,foundthatitwasingoodcondition,andlookingthesailorfullintheface—"Pencroft,"heaskedquietly,"doyouknowhowmanyearsonegrainofcorncanproduce?"

           "One,Isuppose!"repliedthesailor,surprisedatthequestion.

           "Ten,Pencroft!Anddoyouknowhowmanygrainsoneearbears?"

           "No,uponmyword."

           "Abouteighty!"saidCyrusHarding."Then,ifweplantthisgrain,atthefirstcropweshallreapeighthundredgrainswhichatthesecondwillproducesixhundredandfortythousand;atthethird,fivehundredandtwelvemillions;atthefourth,morethanfourhundredthousandsofmillions!Thereistheproportion."

           Harding’scompanionslistenedwithoutanswering.Thesenumbersastonishedthem.Theywereexact,however."