Таємничий острів

           Wewillnotseparate!"

           Therewasnotamomenttobelost.ThecolonistslefttheChimneys.Abendofthecliffpreventedthemfrombeingseenbythoseinthebrig,buttwoorthreereports,andthecrashofbulletsontherock,toldthemthatthe"Speedy"wasatnogreatdistance.

           Tospringintothelift,hoistthemselvesuptothedoorofGraniteHouse,whereTopandJuphadbeenshutupsincetheeveningbefore,torushintothelargeroom,wastheworkofaminuteonly.

           Itwasquitetime,forthesettlers,throughthebranches,couldseethe"Speedy,"surroundedwithsmoke,glidingupthechannel.Thefiringwasincessant,andshotfromthefourgunsstruckblindly,bothontheMercypost,althoughitwasnotoccupied,andontheChimneys.Therocksweresplintered,andcheersaccompaniedeachdischarge.However,theywerehopingthatGraniteHousewouldbespared,thankstoHarding’sprecautionofconcealingthewindowswhenashot,piercingthedoor,penetratedintothepassage.

           "Wearediscovered!"exclaimedPencroft.

           Thecolonistshadnot,perhaps,beenseen,butitwascertainthatBobHarveyhadthoughtpropertosendaballthroughthesuspectedfoliagewhichconcealedthatpartofthecliff.Soonheredoubledhisattack,whenanotherballhavingtornawaytheleafyscreen,disclosedagapingapertureinthegranite.

           Thecolonists’situationwasdesperate.Theirretreatwasdiscovered.Theycouldnotopposeanyobstacletothesemissiles,norprotectthestone,whichflewinsplintersaroundthem