Таємничий острів

           Buttherewassomethingbettertobemadeofit,andonedayCyrusHardingannouncedthattheyweregoingtoturnintorefiners.

           "Refiners!"repliedPencroft."Thatisratherawarmtrade,Ithink."

           "Verywarm,"answeredtheengineer.

           "Thenitwillbeseasonable!"saidthesailor.

           Thiswordrefiningneednotawakeinthemindthoughtsofanelaboratemanufactorywithapparatusandnumerousworkmen.No!tocrystallizethisliquor,onlyanextremelyeasyoperationisrequired.Placedonthefireinlargeearthenpots,itwassimplysubjectedtoevaporation,andsoonascumarosetoitssurface.Assoonasthisbegantothicken,Nebcarefullyremoveditwithawoodenspatula;thisacceleratedtheevaporation,andatthesametimepreventeditfromcontractinganempyreumaticflavor.

           Afterboilingforseveralhoursonahotfire,whichdidasmuchgoodtotheoperatorsasthesubstanceoperatedupon,thelatterwastransformedintoathicksyrup.Thissyrupwaspouredintoclaymolds,previouslyfabricatedinthekitchenstove,andtowhichtheyhadgivenvariousshapes.Thenextdaythissyruphadbecomecold,andformedcakesandtablets.Thiswassugarofratherareddishcolor,butnearlytransparentandofadelicioustaste.

           ThecoldcontinuedtothemiddleofSeptember,andtheprisonersinGraniteHousebegantofindtheircaptivityrathertedious.Nearlyeverydaytheyattemptedsortieswhichtheycouldnotprolong.Theyconstantlyworkedattheimprovementoftheirdwelling.Theytalkedwhileworking.