Таємничий острів

           "No,captain,no,weshan’tforgetit,"repliedPencroft;"andifeverIfindoneofthosetobacco-seeds,whichmultiplybythreehundredandsixtythousand,IassureyouIwon’tthrowitaway!Andnow,whatmustwedo?"

           "Wemustplantthisgrain,"repliedHerbert.

           "Yes,"addedGideonSpilett,"andwitheverypossiblecare,foritbearsinitselfourfutureharvests."

           "Provideditgrows!"criedthesailor.

           "Itwillgrow,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           Thiswasthe20thofJune.Thetimewasthenpropitiousforsowingthissinglepreciousgrainofcorn.Itwasfirstproposedtoplantitinapot,butuponreflectionitwasdecidedtoleaveittonature,andconfideittotheearth.Thiswasdonethatveryday,anditisneedlesstoadd,thateveryprecautionwastakenthattheexperimentmightsucceed.

           Theweatherhavingcleared,thesettlersclimbedtheheightaboveGraniteHouse.There,ontheplateau,theychoseaspot,wellshelteredfromthewind,andexposedtoalltheheatofthemiddaysun.Theplacewascleared,carefullyweeded,andsearchedforinsectsandworms;thenabedofgoodearth,improvedwithalittlelime,wasmade;itwassurroundedbyarailing;andthegrainwasburiedinthedampearth.

           Diditnotseemasifthesettlerswerelayingthefirststoneofsomeedifice?ItrecalledtoPencroftthedayonwhichhelightedhisonlymatch,andalltheanxietyoftheoperation.Butthistimethethingwasmoreserious