Таємничий острів

           CyrusHardingthoughtthatithadnotexploded;thatitwaspossiblesomebarrelsmightbesaved,andthatthepowder,whichisusuallyenclosedinmetalcoveringsmightnothavesufferedfromcontactwiththewater.

           This,infact,wasjustwhathadhappened.Theyextricatedfromamongalargenumberofshottwentybarrels,theinsidesofwhichwerelinedwithcopper.Pencroftwasconvincedbytheevidenceofhisowneyesthatthedestructionofthe"Speedy"couldnotbeattributedtoanexplosion.Thatpartofthehullinwhichthemagazinewassituatedwas,moreover,thatwhichhadsufferedleast.

           "Itmaybeso,"saidtheobstinatesailor;"butastoarock,thereisnotoneinthechannel!"

           "Then,howdidithappen?"askedHerbert.

           "Idon’tknow,"answeredPencroft,"CaptainHardingdoesn’tknow,andnobodyknowsoreverwillknow!"

           Severalhourshadpassedduringtheseresearches,andthetidebegantoflow.Workmustbesuspendedforthepresent.Therewasnofearofthebrigbeingcarriedawaybythesea,forshewasalreadyfixedasfirmlyasifmooredbyheranchors.

           Theycould,therefore,withoutinconvenience,waituntilthenextdaytoresumeoperations;but,astothevesselitself,shewasdoomed,anditwouldbebesttohastentosavetheremainsofherhull,asshewouldnotbelongindisappearinginthequicksandsofthechannel.

           Itwasnowfiveo’clockintheevening.Ithadbeenahardday’sworkforthemen.