Таємничий острів

           Astheyembarked,Nebcried,—

           "Butyourboatleaksrather,Pencroft."

           "That’snothing,Neb,"repliedthesailor;"thewoodwillgetseasoned.Intwodaystherewon’tbeasingleleak,andourboatwillhavenomorewaterinherthanthereisinthestomachofadrunkard.Jumpin!"

           Theyweresoonallseated,andPencroftshovedoff.Theweatherwasmagnificent,theseaascalmasifitswaterswerecontainedwithinthenarrowlimitsofalake.ThustheboatcouldproceedwithasmuchsecurityasifitwasascendingthetranquilcurrentoftheMercy.

           Nebtookoneoftheoars,Herberttheother,andPencroftremainedinthesterninordertousethescull.

           Thesailorfirstcrossedthechannel,andsteeredclosetothesouthernpointoftheislet.Alightbreezeblewfromthesouth.Noroughnesswasfoundeitherinthechannelorthegreensea.Alongswell,whichthecanoescarcelyfelt,asitwasheavilyladen,rolledregularlyoverthesurfaceofthewater.Theypulledoutabouthalfamiledistantfromtheshore,thattheymighthaveagoodviewofMountFranklin.

           Pencroftafterwardsreturnedtowardsthemouthoftheriver.Theboatthenskirtedtheshore,which,extendingtotheextremepoint,hidallTadorn’sFens.

           Thispoint,ofwhichthedistancewasincreasedbytheirregularityofthecoast,wasnearlythreemilesfromtheMercy.Thesettlersresolvedtogotoitsextremity,andonlygobeyonditasmuchaswasnecessarytotakearapidsurveyofthecoastasfarasClawCape.