Таємничий острів

           I,too,asyousaid,haveadebtofgratitudetopayhim.Itwashe,itcouldbeonlyhewhomusthavecometoTaborIsland,whofoundtherethewretchyouknew,andwhomadeknowntoyouthattherewasanunfortunatemantheretobesaved.Thereforeitis,thankstohim,thatIhavebecomeamanagain.No,Iwillneverforgethim!"

           "Thatissettled,then,"saidCyrusHarding."Wewillbeginourresearchesassoonaspossible.Wewillnotleaveacorneroftheislandunexplored.Wewillsearchintoitsmostsecretrecesses,andwillhopethatourunknownfriendwillpardonusinconsiderationofourintentions!"

           Forseveraldaysthecolonistswereactivelyemployedinhaymakingandtheharvest.Beforeputtingtheirprojectofexploringtheyetunknownpartsoftheislandintoexecution,theywishedtogetallpossibleworkfinished.ItwasalsothetimeforcollectingthevariousvegetablesfromtheTaborIslandplants.Allwasstowedaway,andhappilytherewasnowantofroominGraniteHouse,inwhichtheymighthavehousedallthetreasuresoftheisland.Theproductsofthecolonywerethere,methodicallyarranged,andinasafeplace,asmaybebelieved,shelteredasmuchfromanimalsasfromman.

           Therewasnofearofdampinthemiddleofthatthickmassofgranite.Manynaturalexcavationssituatedintheupperpassagewereenlargedeitherbypick-axeormine,andGraniteHousethusbecameageneralwarehouse,containingalltheprovisions,arms,tools,andspareutensils—inaword,allthestoresofthecolony.