Abandoned

           ItwasnowexactlysevenmonthssincetheballoonvoyagershadbeenthrownonLincolnIsland.Duringthattime,notwithstandingtheresearchestheyhadmade,nohumanbeinghadbeendiscovered.Nosmokeevenhadbetrayedthepresenceofmanonthesurfaceoftheisland.Novestigesofhishandiworkshowedthateitheratanearlyoratalateperiodhadmanlivedthere.Notonlydiditnowappeartobeuninhabitedbyanybutthemselves,butthecolonistswerecompelledtobelievethatitneverhadbeeninhabited.Andnow,allthisscaffoldingofreasoningsfellbeforeasimpleballofmetal,foundinthebodyofaninoffensiverodent!Infact,thisbulletmusthaveissuedfromafirearm,andwhobutahumanbeingcouldhaveusedsuchaweapon?

           WhenPencrofthadplacedthebulletonthetable,hiscompanionslookedatitwithintenseastonishment.Alltheconsequenceslikelytoresultfromthisincident,notwithstandingitsapparentinsignificance,immediatelytookpossessionoftheirminds.Thesuddenapparitionofasupernaturalbeingcouldnothavestartledthemmorecompletely.

           CyrusHardingdidnothesitatetogiveutterancetothesuggestionswhichthisfact,atoncesurprisingandunexpected,couldnotfailtoraiseinhismind.Hetookthebullet,turneditoverandover,rolleditbetweenhisfingerandthumb;then,turningtoPencroft,heasked,—

           Areyousurethatthepeccarywoundedbythisbulletwasnotmorethanthreemonthsold?"

           "Notmore,captain,"repliedPencroft."ItwasstillsuckingitsmotherwhenIfounditinthetrap."