Таємничий острів

           LordGlenarvanmadeknowntotheIrishmanthecausewhichhadbroughthimtotheseparts,andaskedifheknewwhetherathree-mastedEnglishvessel,the‘Britannia,’hadbeenlostlessthantwoyearsbeforeonthewestcoastofAustralia.

           "TheIrishmanhadneverheardofthiswreck,but,tothegreatsurpriseofthebystanders,oneofhisservantscameforwardandsaid,—

           "‘Mylord,praiseandthankGod!IfCaptainGrantisstillliving,heislivingontheAustralianshores.’

           "‘Whoareyou?’askedLordGlenarvan.

           "‘AScotchmanlikeyourself,mylord,’repliedtheman;‘IamoneofCaptainGrant’screw—oneofthecastawaysofthe"Britannia."’

           "ThismanwascalledAyrton.Hewas,infact,theboatswain’smateofthe‘Britannia,’ashispapersshowed.But,separatedfromCaptainGrantatthemomentwhentheshipstruckupontherocks,hehadtillthenbelievedthatthecaptainwithallhiscrewhadperished,andthathe,Ayrton,wasthesolesurvivorofthe‘Britannia.’

           "‘Only,’headded,‘itwasnotonthewestcoast,butontheeastcoastofAustraliathatthevesselwaslost,andifCaptainGrantisstillliving,ashisdocumentindicates,heisaprisoneramongthenatives,anditisontheothercoastthathemustbelookedfor.’

           "Thismanspokeinafrankvoiceandwithaconfidentlook;hiswordscouldnotbedoubted.Theirishman,inwhoseservicehehadbeenformorethanayear,answeredforhistrustworthiness.