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           Itreallyseemedasifthesocietyofthosewhohadsavedhimwasinsupportabletohim!

           "Butthen,"observedPencroft,"whydidheentreatthehelpofhisfellow-creatures?Whydidhethrowthatpaperintothesea?"

           "Hewilltelluswhy,"invariablyrepliedCyrusHarding.

           "When?"

           "Perhapssoonerthanyouthink,Pencroft."

           And,indeed,thedayofconfessionwasnear.

           Onthe10thofDecember,aweekafterhisreturntoGraniteHouse,Hardingsawthestrangerapproaching,who,inacalmvoiceandhumbletone,saidtohim:"Sir,Ihavearequesttomakeofyou."

           "Speak,"answeredtheengineer,"butfirstletmeaskyouaquestion."

           Atthesewordsthestrangerreddened,andwasonthepointofwithdrawing.CyrusHardingunderstoodwhatwaspassinginthemindoftheguiltyman,whodoubtlessfearedthattheengineerwouldinterrogatehimonhispastlife.

           Hardingheldhimback.

           "Comrade,"saidhe,"wearenotonlyyourcompanionsbutyourfriends.Iwishyoutobelievethat,andnowIwilllistentoyou."

           Thestrangerpressedhishandoverhiseyes.Hewasseizedwithasortoftrembling,andremainedafewmomentswithoutbeingabletoarticulateaword.

           "Sir,"saidheatlast,"Ihavecometobegyoutograntmeafavor."

           "Whatisit?"

           "Youhave,fourorfivemilesfromhere,acorralforyourdomesticatedanimals.Theseanimalsneedtobetakencareof.