Таємничий острів

           ButCyrusHarding,aftersomemoments’thought,repliedinthecalmtonewhichwasusualtohim,—

           "Whatweshalldo,myfriends?Whatweoughttodoisthis:—wewillcommunicatewiththeship,wewilltakeourpassageonboardher,andwewillleaveourisland,afterhavingtakenpossessionofitinthenameoftheUnitedStates.Thenwewillreturnwithanywhomaywishtofollowustocolonizeitdefinitely,andendowtheAmericanRepublicwithausefulstationinthispartofthePacificOcean!"

           "Hurrah!"exclaimedPencroft,"andthatwillbenosmallpresentwhichweshallmaketoourcountry!Thecolonizationisalreadyalmostfinished;namesaregiventoeverypartoftheisland;thereisanaturalport,freshwater,roads,atelegraph,adockyard,andmanufactories;andtherewillbenothingtobedonebuttoinscribeLincolnIslandonthemaps!"

           "Butifanyoneseizesitinourabsence?"observedGideonSpilett.

           "Hangit!"criedthesailor."Iwouldratherremainallalonetoguardit:andtrusttoPencroft,theyshouldn’tstealitfromhim,likeawatchfromthepocketofaswell!"

           ForanhouritwasimpossibletosaywithanycertaintywhetherthevesselwasorwasnotstandingtowardsLincolnIsland.Shewasnearer,butinwhatdirectionwasshesailing?ThisPencroftcouldnotdetermine.However,asthewindwasblowingfromthenortheast,inallprobabilitythevesselwassailingonthestarboardtack.