Таємничий острів

           "Willyouletmetry?"saidtheboy,andverycleverly,withoutbreakingit,hemanagedtodrawoutthewretchedyetpreciouslittlebitofwoodwhichwasofsuchgreatimportancetothesepoormen.Itwasunused.

           "Hurrah!"criedPencroft;"itisasgoodashavingawholecargo!"Hetookthematch,and,followedbyhiscompanions,enteredthecave.

           Thissmallpieceofwood,ofwhichsomanyinaninhabitedcountryarewastedwithindifferenceandareofnovalue,mustherebeusedwiththegreatestcaution.

           Thesailorfirstmadesurethatitwasquitedry;thatdone,"Wemusthavesomepaper,"saidhe.

           "Here,"repliedSpilett,aftersomehesitationtearingaleafoutofhisnote-book.

           Pencrofttookthepieceofpaperwhichthereporterheldouttohim,andkneltdownbeforethefireplace.Somehandfulsofgrass,leaves,anddrymosswereplacedunderthefagotsanddisposedinsuchawaythattheaircouldeasilycirculate,andthedrywoodwouldrapidlycatchfire.

           Pencroftthentwistedthepieceofpaperintotheshapeofacone,assmokersdoinahighwind,andpokeditinamongthemoss.Takingasmall,roughstone,hewipeditcarefully,andwithabeatingheart,holdinghisbreath,hegentlyrubbedthematch.Thefirstattemptdidnotproduceanyeffect.Pencrofthadnotstruckhardenough,fearingtoruboffthephosphorus.