Таємничий острів

           Asusual,Pencroftwasdelightedwithhiswork,andhadnodoubtthattheapparatuswasperfect.

           "Nowforagoodwind,"saidhe,"andweshallgrindourfirstharvestsplendidly!"

           "Agoodwind,certainly,"answeredtheengineer,"butnottoomuch,Pencroft."

           "Pooh!ourmillwouldonlygothefaster!"

           "Thereisnoneedforittogosoveryfast,"repliedCyrusHarding."Itisknownbyexperiencethatthegreatestquantityofworkisperformedbyamillwhenthenumberofturnsmadebythesailsinaminuteissixtimesthenumberoffeettraversedbythewindinasecond.Amoderatebreeze,whichpassesovertwenty-fourfeettothesecond,willgivesixteenturnstothesailsduringaminute,andthereisnoneedofmore."

           "Exactly!"criedHerbert,"afinebreezeisblowingfromthenortheast,whichwillsoondoourbusinessforus."

           Therewasnoreasonfordelayingtheinaugurationofthemill,forthesettlerswereeagertotastethefirstpieceofbreadinLincolnIsland.Onthismorningtwoorthreebushelsofwheatwereground,andthenextdayatbreakfastamagnificentloaf,alittleheavyperhaps,althoughraisedwithyeast,appearedonthetableatGraniteHouse.Everyonemunchedawayatitwithapleasurewhichmaybeeasilyunderstood.

           Inthemeanwhile,thestrangerhadnotreappeared.SeveraltimesGideonSpilettandHerbertsearchedtheforestintheneighborhoodofGraniteHouse,withoutmeetingorfindinganytraceofhim.Theybecameseriouslyuneasyatthisprolongedabsence.