Таємничий острів

           Theyatewithgoodappetite,andnotwithstandingtheirfatigue,theycouldnotresist,afterdinner,theirdesireofinspectingthecaseswhichcomposedthecargoofthe"Speedy."

           Mostofthemcontainedclothes,which,asmaybebelieved,waswellreceived.Therewereenoughtoclotheawholecolony—linenforeveryone’suse,shoesforeveryone’sfeet.

           "Wearetoorich!"exclaimedPencroft,"Butwhatarewegoingtodowithallthis?"

           Andeverymomentburstforththehurrahsofthedelightedsailorwhenhecaughtsightofthebarrelsofgunpowder,firearmsandsidearms,ballsofcotton,implementsofhusbandry,carpenter’s,joiner’s,andblacksmith’stools,andboxesofallkindsofseeds,notintheleastinjuredbytheirshortsojourninthewater.Ah,twoyearsbefore,howthesethingswouldhavebeenprized!Andnow,eventhoughtheindustriouscolonistshadprovidedthemselveswithtools,thesetreasureswouldfindtheiruse.

           Therewasnowantofspaceinthestore-roomsofGraniteHouse,butthatdaytimewouldnotallowthemtostowawaythewhole.Itwouldnotdoalsotoforgetthatthesixsurvivorsofthe"Speedy’s"crewhadlandedontheisland,fortheywereinallprobabilityscoundrelsofthedeepestdye,anditwasnecessarythatthecolonistsshouldbeontheirguardagainstthem.AlthoughthebridgesovertheMercywereraised,theconvictswouldnotbestoppedbyariverorastreamand,rendereddesperate,thesewretcheswouldbecapableofanything.