Таємничий острів

           "Here’sago!"saidhe,lookingatHerbert."Theboxmusthavefallenoutofmypocketandgotlost!Surely,Herbert,youmusthavesomething—atinder-box—anythingthatcanpossiblymakefire!"

           "No,Ihaven’t,Pencroft."

           Thesailorrushedout,followedbytheboy.Onthesand,amongtherocks,neartheriver’sbank,theybothsearchedcarefully,butinvain.Theboxwasofcopper,andthereforewouldhavebeeneasilyseen.

           "Pencroft,"askedHerbert,"didn’tyouthrowitoutofthecar?"

           "Iknewbetterthanthat,"repliedthesailor;"butsuchasmallarticlecouldeasilydisappearinthetumblingaboutwehavegonethrough.Iwouldratherevenhavelostmypipe!Confoundthebox!Wherecanitbe?"

           "Lookhere,thetideisgoingdown,"saidHerbert;"let’sruntotheplacewherewelanded."

           Itwasscarcelyprobablethattheywouldfindthebox,whichthewaveshadrolledaboutamongthepebbles,athightide,butitwasaswelltotry.HerbertandPencroftwalkedrapidlytothepointwheretheyhadlandedthedaybefore,abouttwohundredfeetfromthecave.Theyhuntedthere,amongtheshingle,inthecleftsoftherocks,butfoundnothing.Iftheboxhadfallenatthisplaceitmusthavebeensweptawaybythewaves.Astheseawentdown,theysearchedeverylittlecrevicewithnoresult.Itwasagravelossintheircircumstances,andforthetimeirreparable.Pencroftcouldnothidehisvexation;helookedveryanxious,butsaidnotaword.