Таємничий острів

           Whatcantheydoagainsttheserocks?And,asweshallnotfirefromthewindowsofGraniteHouse,thepirateswillnotthinkofcausingirreparabledamagebythrowingshellagainstit.Whatistobefearedis,thenecessityofmeetinghand-to-hand,sincetheconvictshavenumbersontheirside.Wemustthereforetrytopreventthemfromlanding,butwithoutdiscoveringourselves.Therefore,donoteconomizetheammunition.Fireoften,butwithasureaim.Wehaveeacheightortenenemiestokill,andtheymustbekilled!"

           CyrusHardinghadclearlyrepresentedtheirsituation,althoughhespokeinthecalmestvoice,asifitwasaquestionofdirectingapieceofworkandnotorderingabattle.Hiscompanionsapprovedthesearrangementswithoutevenutteringaword.Therewasnothingmoretobedonebutforeachtotakehisplacebeforethefogshouldbecompletelydissipated.NebandPencroftimmediatelyascendedtoGraniteHouseandbroughtbackasufficientquantityofammunition.GideonSpilettandAyrton,bothverygoodmarksmen,werearmedwiththetworifles,whichcarriednearlyamile.ThefourothermusketsweredividedamongHarding,Neb,Pencroft,andHerbert.

           Thepostswerearrangedinthefollowingmanner:—

           CyrusHardingandHerbertremainedinambushattheChimneys,thuscommandingtheshoretothefootofGraniteHouse.

           GideonSpilettandNebcrouchedamongtherocksatthemouthoftheMercy,fromwhichthedrawbridgeshadbeenraised,soastopreventanyonefromcrossinginaboatorlandingontheoppositeshore.