Таємничий острів

           Thenextday,the3rdofNovember,thenewworkswerebegunbytheconstructionofthebridge,andallhandswererequiredforthisimportanttask.Saws,hatchets,andhammerswereshoulderedbythesettlers,who,nowtransformedintocarpenters,descendedtotheshore.

           TherePencroftobserved,—

           "Suppose,thatduringourabsence,MasterJuptakesitintohisheadtodrawuptheladderwhichhesopolitelyreturnedtousyesterday?"

           "Letustieitslowerenddownfirmly,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           Thiswasdonebymeansoftwostakessecurelyfixedinthesand.Thenthesettlers,ascendingtheleftbankoftheMercy,soonarrivedattheangleformedbytheriver.

           Theretheyhalted,inordertoascertainifthebridgecouldbethrownacross.Theplaceappearedsuitable.

           Infact,fromthisspot,toPortBalloon,discoveredthedaybeforeonthesoutherncoast,therewasonlyadistanceofthreemilesandahalf,andfromthebridgetothePort,itwouldbeeasytomakeagoodcart-roadwhichwouldrenderthecommunicationbetweenGraniteHouseandthesouthoftheislandextremelyeasy.

           CyrusHardingnowimpartedtohiscompanionsaschemeforcompletelyisolatingProspectHeightssoastoshelteritfromtheattacksbothofquadrupedsandquadrumana.Inthisway,GraniteHouse,theChimneys,thepoultry-yard,andalltheupperpartoftheplateauwhichwastobeusedforcultivation,wouldbeprotectedagainstthedepredationsofanimals.Nothingcouldbeeasierthantoexecutethisproject,andthisishowtheengineerintendedtosettowork.