Таємничий острів

           "Haveyouunderstood,myfriends,howthatbulletgotintothebodyoftheyoungpeccary;howthatcasehappenedtobesofortunatelystranded,withouttherebeinganytraceofawreck;howthatbottlecontainingthedocumentpresenteditselfsoopportunely,duringourfirstsea-excursion;howourcanoe,havingbrokenitsmoorings,floateddownthecurrentoftheMercyandrejoinedusattheverymomentweneededit;howaftertheapeinvasiontheladderwassoobliginglythrowndownfromGraniteHouse;andlastly,howthedocument,whichAyrtonassertswasneverwrittenbyhim,fellintoourhands?"

           AsCyrusHardingthusenumerated,withoutforgettingone,thesingularincidentswhichhadoccurredintheisland,Herbert,Neb,andPencroftstaredateachother,notknowingwhattoreply,forthissuccessionofincidents,groupedthusforthefirsttime,couldnotbutexcitetheirsurprisetothehighestdegree.

           "‘Ponmyword,"saidPencroftatlast,"youareright,captain,anditisdifficulttoexplainallthesethings!"

           "Well,myfriends,"resumedtheengineer,"alastfacthasjustbeenaddedtothese,anditisnolessincomprehensiblethantheothers!"

           "Whatisit,captain?"askedHerbertquickly.

           "WhenyouwerereturningfromTaborIsland,Pencroft,"continuedtheengineer,"yousaidthatafireappearedonLincolnIsland?"

           "Certainly,"answeredthesailor.

           "Andyouarequitecertainofhavingseenthisfire?"

           "AssureasIseeyounow."