Таємничий острів

           Topbarkedlouder,boundingaboutatthefootofagiganticpine.AllatoncePencroftshouted,—"Ho,splendid!capital!"

           "Whatisit?"askedSpilett.

           "Wehavebeenlookingforawreckatseaoronland!"

           "Well?"

           "Well;andherewe’vefoundoneintheair!"

           Andthesailorpointedtoagreatwhiterag,caughtinthetopofthepine,afallenscrapofwhichthedoghadbroughttothem.

           "Butthatisnotawreck!"criedGideonSpilett.

           "Ibegyourpardon!"returnedPencroft.

           "Why?isit—?"

           "Itisallthatremainsofourairyboat,ofourballoon,whichhasbeencaughtupaloftthere,atthetopofthattree!"

           Pencroftwasnotmistaken,andhegaveventtohisfeelingsinatremendoushurrah,adding,—

           "Thereisgoodcloth!Thereiswhatwillfurnishuswithlinenforyears.Thereiswhatwillmakeushandkerchiefsandshirts!Ha,ha,Mr.Spilett,whatdoyousaytoanislandwhereshirtsgrowonthetrees?"

           ItwascertainlyaluckycircumstanceforthesettlersinLincolnIslandthattheballoon,afterhavingmadeitslastboundintotheair,hadfallenontheislandandthusgiventhemtheopportunityoffindingitagain,whethertheykeptthecaseunderitspresentform,orwhethertheywishedtoattemptanotherescapebyit,orwhethertheyusefullyemployedtheseveralhundredyardsofcotton,whichwasoffinequality.Pencroft’sjoywasthereforesharedbyall.

           Butitwasnecessarytobringdowntheremainsoftheballoonfromthetree,toplaceitinsecurity,andthiswasnoslighttask.