Таємничий острів

           Therewasnothingforhimbutflight!

           Butwasflightstillpossible?Itwasdoubtful,yetAyrtonresolvedtodareeverythinginordertorejoinhiscompanions.

           Fourbarrelsoftherevolverwerestillundischarged.Twowerefired—one,aimedatBobHarvey,didnotwoundhim,oratanyrateonlyslightly,andAyrton,profitingbythemomentaryretreatofhisadversaries,rushedtowardsthecompanion-laddertogainthedeck.Passingbeforethelantern,hesmasheditwithablowfromthebuttofhisrevolver.Aprofounddarknessensued,whichfavoredhisflight.Twoorthreepirates,awakenedbythenoise,weredescendingtheladderatthesamemoment.

           AfifthshotfromAyrtonlaidonelow,andtheothersdrewback,notunderstandingwhatwasgoingon.Ayrtonwasondeckintwobounds,andthreesecondslater,havingdischargedhislastbarrelinthefaceofapiratewhowasabouttoseizehimbythethroat,heleapedoverthebulwarksintothesea.

           Ayrtonhadnotmadesixstrokesbeforeshotsweresplashingaroundhimlikehail.

           WhatwerePencroft’sfeelings,shelteredunderarockontheislet!WhatwerethoseofHarding,thereporter,Herbert,andNeb,crouchedintheChimneys,whentheyheardthereportsonboardthebrig!Theyrushedoutontothebeach,and,theirgunsshouldered,theystoodreadytorepelanyattack.

           Theyhadnodoubtaboutitthemselves!Ayrton,surprisedbythepirates,hadbeenmurdered,and,perhaps,thewretcheswouldprofitbythenighttomakeadescentontheisland!

           Halfanhourwaspassedinterribleanxiety