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           "Andifherecognizesher,"addedPencroft,"itwillagitatehimexceedingly!"

           "Yes,"answeredCyrusHarding;"butnowAyrtonisworthytoreturnonboardthe‘Duncan,’andprayHeaventhatitisindeedLordGlenarvan’syacht,forIshouldbesuspiciousofanyothervessel.Theseareill-famedseas,andIhavealwaysfearedavisitfromMalaypiratestoourisland."

           "Wecoulddefendit,’,criedHerbert.

           "Nodoubt,myboy,"answeredtheengineersmiling,"butitwouldbebetternottohavetodefendit."

           "Auselessobservation,"saidSpilett."LincolnIslandisunknowntonavigators,sinceitisnotmarkedevenonthemostrecentmaps.Doyouthink,Cyrus,thatthatisasufficientmotiveforaship,findingherselfunexpectedlyinsightofnewland,totryandvisitratherthanavoidit?"

           "Certainly,"repliedPencroft.

           "Ithinksotoo,"addedtheengineer."Itmayevenbesaidthatitisthedutyofacaptaintocomeandsurveyanylandorislandnotyetknown,andLincolnIslandisinthisposition."

           "Well,"saidPencroft,"supposethisvesselcomesandanchorsthereafewcables-lengthsfromourisland,whatshallwedo?"

           Thissuddenquestionremainedatfirstwithoutanyreply.