Таємничий острів

           "Why,theseapesaresocunning,"returnedPencroft;"theywon’tshowthemselvesagainatthewindowsandsowecan’tkillthem;andwhenIthinkofthemischieftheymaydointheroomsandstorehouse—"

           "Havepatience,"repliedHarding;"thesecreaturescannotkeepuslongatbay."

           "IshallnotbesureofthattillIseethemdownhere,"repliedthesailor."Andnow,captain,doyouknowhowmanydozensofthesefellowsareupthere?"

           ItwasdifficulttoreplytoPencroft,andasfortheyoungboymakinganotherattempt,thatwasnoteasy;forthelowerpartoftheladderhadbeendrawnagainintothedoor,andwhenanotherpullwasgiven,thelinebrokeandtheladderremainedfirm.Thecasewasreallyperplexing.Pencroftstormed.Therewasacomicsidetothesituation,buthedidnotthinkitfunnyatall.Itwascertainthatthesettlerswouldendbyreinstatingthemselvesintheirdomicileanddrivingouttheintruders,butwhenandhow?thisiswhattheywerenotabletosay.

           Twohourspassed,duringwhichtheapestookcarenottoshowthemselves,buttheywerestillthere,andthreeorfourtimesanoseorapawwaspokedoutatthedoororwindows,andwasimmediatelysalutedbyagun-shot.

           "Letushideourselves,"atlastsaidtheengineer."Perhapstheapeswillthinkwehavegonequiteawayandwillshowthemselvesagain.LetSpilettandHerbertconcealthemselvesbehindthoserocksandfireonallthatmayappear."