Таємничий острів

           Ayrtonthen,followedbyPencroft,crosseditwitharapidstep,scaringthebirdsnestledintheholesoftherocks;then,withouthesitating,heplungedintothesea,andswamnoiselesslyinthedirectionoftheship,inwhichafewlightshadrecentlyappeared,showingherexactsituation.AstoPencroft,hecroucheddowninacleftoftherock,andawaitedthereturnofhiscompanion.

           Inthemeanwhile,Ayrton,swimmingwithavigorousstroke,glidedthroughthesheetofwaterwithoutproducingtheslightestripple.Hisheadjustemergedaboveitandhiseyeswerefixedonthedarkhullofthebrig,fromwhichthelightswerereflectedinthewater.Hethoughtonlyofthedutywhichhehadpromisedtoaccomplish,andnothingofthedangerwhichheran,notonlyonboardtheship,butinthesea,oftenfrequentedbysharks.Thecurrentborehimalongandherapidlyrecededfromtheshore.

           Halfanhourafterwards,Ayrton,withouthavingbeeneitherseenorheard,arrivedattheshipandcaughtholdofthemain-chains.Hetookbreath,then,hoistinghimselfup,hemanagedtoreachtheextremityofthecutwater.Thereweredryingseveralpairsofsailors’trousers.Heputonapair.Thensettlinghimselffirmly,helistened.Theywerenotsleepingonboardthebrig.Onthecontrary,theyweretalking,singing,laughing.Andthesewerethesentences,accompaniedwithoaths,whichprincipallystruckAyrton:—

           "Ourbrigisafamousacquisition."

           "Shesailswell,andmeritshernameofthe‘Speedy.’"