Таємничий острів

           Some,woundedorkilled,fellbackintotherooms,utteringpiercingcries.Therest,throwingthemselvesout,weredashedtopiecesintheirfall,andinafewminutes,sofarastheyknew,therewasnotalivingquadrumanainGraniteHouse.

           Atthismomenttheladderwasseentoslipoverthethreshold,thenunrollandfalltotheground.

           "Hullo!"criedthesailor,"thisisqueer!"

           "Verystrange!"murmuredtheengineer,leapingfirstuptheladder.

           "Takecare,captain!"criedPencroft,"perhapstherearestillsomeoftheserascals.

           "Weshallsoonsee,"repliedtheengineer,withoutstoppinghowever.

           Allhiscompanionsfollowedhim,andinaminutetheyhadarrivedatthethreshold.Theysearchedeverywhere.Therewasnooneintheroomsnorinthestorehouse,whichhadbeenrespectedbythebandofquadrumana.

           "Wellnow,andtheladder,"criedthesailor;"whocanthegentlemanhavebeenwhosentusthatdown?"

           Butatthatmomentacrywasheard,andagreatorang,whohadhiddenhimselfinthepassage,rushedintotheroom,pursuedbyNeb.

           "Ah,therobber!"criedPencroft.

           Andhatchetinhand,hewasabouttocleavetheheadoftheanimal,whenCyrusHardingseizedhisarm,saying,—

           "Sparehim,Pencroft."

           "Pardonthisrascal?"

           "Yes!itwashewhothrewustheladder!"

           Andtheengineersaidthisinsuchapeculiarvoicethatitwasdifficulttoknowwhetherhespokeseriouslyornot.

           Nevertheless,theythrewthemselvesontheorang,whodefendedhimselfgallantly,butwassoonoverpoweredandbound.