Таємничий острів

           Thechiefthingwastohindertheseplunderersfromreachingtheplateau,forthegardenandthepoultry-yardwouldthenhavebeenattheirmercy,andimmense,perhapsirreparablemischief,wouldinevitablybetheresult,especiallywithregardtothecorn-field.ButastheinvasionoftheplateaucouldonlybemadebytheleftbankoftheMercy,itwassufficienttoopposethecolpeosonthenarrowbankbetweentheriverandthecliffofgranite.

           Thiswasplaintoall,and,byCyrusHarding’sorders,theyreachedthespotindicatedbyhim,whilethecolpeosrushedfiercelythroughthegloom.Harding,GideonSpilett,Herbert,PencroftandNebpostedthemselvesinimpregnableline.Top,hisformidablejawsopen,precededthecolonists,andhewasfollowedbyJup,armedwithknottycudgel,whichhebrandishedlikeaclub.

           Thenightwasextremelydark,itwasonlybytheflashesfromtherevolversaseachpersonfiredthattheycouldseetheirassailants,whowereatleastahundredinnumber,andwhoseeyeswereglowinglikehotcoals.

           "Theymustnotpass!"shoutedPencroft.

           "Theyshallnotpass!"returnedtheengineer.

           Butiftheydidnotpassitwasnotforwantofhavingattemptedit.Thoseintherearpushedontheforemostassailants,anditwasanincessantstrugglewithrevolversandhatchets.Severalcolpeosalreadylaydeadontheground,buttheirnumberdidnotappeartodiminish,anditmighthavebeensupposedthatreinforcementswerecontinuallyarrivingoverthebridge.