Таємничий острів

           Itwasinevitablyunfortunate,sinceAyrton,orBenJoyce,ashemaybecalled,guidedit,sometimespreceded,sometimesfollowedbyhisbandofconvicts,whohadbeentoldwhattheyhadtodo.

           "Meanwhile,the‘Duncan’hadbeensenttoMelbourneforrepairs.Itwasnecessary,then,togetLordGlenarvantoorderhertoleaveMelbourneandgototheeastcoastofAustralia,whereitwouldbeeasytoseizeher.Afterhavingledtheexpeditionnearenoughtothecoast,inthemidstofvastforestswithnoresources,Ayrtonobtainedaletter,whichhewaschargedtocarrytothemateofthe‘Duncan’—aletterwhichorderedtheyachttorepairimmediatelytotheeastcoast,toTwofoldBay,thatistosayafewdays’journeyfromtheplacewheretheexpeditionhadstopped.ItwastherethatAyrtonhadagreedtomeethisaccomplices,andtwodaysaftergainingpossessionoftheletter,hearrivedatMelbourne.

           "Sofarthevillainhadsucceededinhiswickeddesign.Hewouldbeabletotakethe‘Duncan’intoTwofoldBay,whereitwouldbeeasyfortheconvictstoseizeher,andhercrewmassacred,BenJoycewouldbecomemasteroftheseas.ButitpleasedGodtopreventtheaccomplishmentoftheseterribleprojects.

           "Ayrton,arrivedatMelbourne,deliveredthelettertothemate,TomAustin,whoreaditandimmediatelysetsail,butjudgeofAyrton’srageanddisappointment,whenthenextdayhefoundthatthematewastakingthevessel,nottotheeastcoastofAustralia,toTwofoldBay,buttotheeastcoastofNewZealand.