Таємничий острів

           The"Speedy"nowappearedinfullview,withaspringonhercable,herheadtothenorth,presentingherlarboardsidetotheisland.JustasHardinghadcalculated,shewasnotmorethanamileandaquarterfromthecoast.

           Thesinisterblackflagfloatedfromthepeak.

           Theengineer,withhistelescope,couldseethatthefourgunsonboardwerepointedattheisland.Theywereevidentlyreadytofireatamoment’snotice.

           Inthemeanwhilethe"Speedy"remainedsilent.Aboutthirtypiratescouldbeseenmovingonthedeck.Afewmoreonthepoop;twootherspostedintheshrouds,andarmedwithspyglasses,wereattentivelysurveyingtheisland.

           Certainly,BobHarveyandhiscrewwouldnotbeableeasilytogiveanaccountofwhathadhappenedduringthenightonboardthebrig.Hadthishalf-nakedman,whohadforcedthedoorofthepowder-magazine,andwithwhomtheyhadstruggled,whohadsixtimesdischargedhisrevolveratthem,whohadkilledoneandwoundedtwoothers,escapedtheirshot?Hadhebeenabletoswimtoshore?Whencedidhecome?Whathadbeenhisobject?Hadhisdesignreallybeentoblowupthebrig,asBobHarveyhadthought?Allthismustbeconfusedenoughtotheconvicts’minds.Butwhattheycouldnolongerdoubtwasthattheunknownislandbeforewhichthe"Speedy"hadcastanchorwasinhabited,andthattherewas,perhaps,anumerouscolonyreadytodefendit.Andyetnoonewastobeseen,neitherontheshore,norontheheights.Thebeachappearedtobeabsolutelydeserted.Atanyrate,therewasnotraceofdwellings.