Таємничий острів

           "Well,then,itisthis:howeverminutelyweexploretheisland,weshallfindnothing."

           ThenextdayPencroftsettowork.Hedidnotmeantobuildaboatwithboardsandplanking,butsimplyaflat-bottomedcanoe,whichwouldbewellsuitedfornavigatingtheMercy—aboveall,forapproachingitssource,wherethewaterwouldnaturallybeshallow.Piecesofbark,fastenedonetotheother,wouldformalightboat;andincaseofnaturalobstacles,whichwouldrenderaportagenecessary,itwouldbeeasilycarried.Pencroftintendedtosecurethepiecesofbarkbymeansofnails,toinsurethecanoebeingwater-tight.

           Itwasfirstnecessarytoselectthetreeswhichwouldaffordastrongandsupplebarkforthework.Nowthelaststormhadbroughtdownanumberoflargebirch-trees,thebarkofwhichwouldbeperfectlysuitedfortheirpurpose.Someofthesetreeslayontheground,andtheyhadonlytobebarked,whichwasthemostdifficultthingofall,owingtotheimperfecttoolswhichthesettlerspossessed.However,theyovercamealldifficulties.

           Whilethesailor,secondedbytheengineer,thusoccupiedhimselfwithoutlosinganhour,GideonSpilettandHerbertwerenotidle.

           Theyweremadepurveyorstothecolony.Thereportercouldnotbutadmiretheboy,whohadacquiredgreatskillinhandlingthebowandspear.Herbertalsoshowedgreatcourageandmuchofthatpresenceofmindwhichmayjustlybecalled"thereasoningofbravery."